Cold Compassion
by azngirlchibi
Summary: A pair of children left behind in the snow. Why? No one knows. But there's one thing Amy and Sonic both know. They will protect them with their lives... even if it's just them, against the world. SXA KXR Collab with The Queen of Aces
1. Chapter 1

_**Disclaimer: **We,_ _The Queen of Aces and Azngirlchibi, do not, in part or in whole, own Sonic the Hedgehog._

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**_A/N: _**So how are you all holding up on this wonderful June day? Okay, so before I get stabbed by my old readers (new readers, ignore this and go on), yes, I'm going to finish "A Canopy of Roses." The next chapter is typed, and ready to be put up as soon as I edit. Which will probably be tommorow.

To everyone else, hello, and welcome to "Cold Compassion." This is a collab (a.k.a, joint project) between me and The Queen of Aces. If you don't know her, shame on you. But anyways, we came together to write this interesting little fic. We really hope you enjoy this. So don't give me all the credit just because it's on my account.

Okay, so first chapter's by The Queen of Aces.

Enjoy!

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**Dedicated to Marianne.

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**

"Compassion is the basis of morality."

-Arnold Schopenhauer

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'Cold Compassion'

Chapter One

Amy Rose

The snow started to fall just hours before she was about to go to bed. A few flakes at first, as the sky turned into a soft dark blue, but it soon evolved into a full blizzard. The naked tree limbs turned white, and the ground took its last breath before drowning in the sea of snow. Lights turned on, as people gathered to watch the storm change their fall atmosphere into winter, as it did every year. Amy Rose was unaware of what was taking place, for she was scrubbing off her crystal white skin as the water ran down her slim figure. Steam rose, she breathed deeply, the water leaving her skin red wherever it traveled. The water, while hot enough to burn her skin, was her remedy for an awful day. She turned her head to the water, feeling the sting as the water trailed down, sighing deeply in content. Her hair, the color of an embarrassed pink blush, stuck to her back and forehead. She swept her bangs from her face, her hand grazing over her smooth unscarred skin.

She was thinking, thinking of the boy that she both loved and hated. The boy with dark sapphire hair and a smile that was tame in its wildness. The boy with emerald eyes that was rough and beautiful and terrifying all at the same time. Never will she find a boy with such eyes; never will she even turn her head to look. She will never meet anyone with a touch that thrilled her, not with the intensity that she found herself absolutely giddy and rushing with emotion as soon as the touch stopped. Amy looked away, turning off the nozzle and grabbing a red towel that was hung out for her. As she dried herself off, she was aware that the stillness in the air had been shattered. There was something there, she could feel it by the way the air seemed to move over it. It was a feeling she could not explain, not even as she hurried to slip on a pair of pajama bottoms and a matching top. Her voice came, weak and wavering.

"Hello?" Amy called, her body flushed from the hot shower. She buttoned the last button on her night shirt, before timidly walking around the house. "Hello? Is anyone there?" she called out again, feeling a little foolish. It was when she passed her window that the pink hedgehog stopped. Her garnet green eyes watched the snowflakes in disbelief. "It's a blizzard," she remarked, before worry rose in her chest. "I'll need to sweep the sidewalk if I want any chance of getting out of the house tomorrow." Amy's neck was cold from her wet hair that was dripping slightly. She put it in a small bun, re-doing it several times because of its short length. Amy touched the soft fabric of her snow cap, before slipping it on, surprised by its musty smell. Amy could not remember the last time it had snowed this hard, she put on several coats, before digging out some warm snow shoes that she had not put on for quite some time.

The boy she loved would surely be trying to run from the cold. He was probably at someone else's house, starting a fire and finding someway to help the needy. She imagined that fine thick mess of blue hair, which always stayed perfectly in place, no matter what he did. Or his voice, alluring and velvety, enough to make her knees weaken. Amy opened the door, surprised when the cold immediately chilled her face, and as she walked out, the snow in her yard was already reaching her knees. She grabbed the shovel, trying to save what was left of the roses Cream had planted in her flower garden, she had never been one for gardening, but they were a gift. Amy quickly covered them with jars, like she had seen in movies.

Then, she went to try and clear the dirt road she would have to take tomorrow. The snow had piled into miniature houses by the time she realized she had forgotten to put on gloves. Amy looked at her cold and numb fingers, deciding she would only be a minute, before rushing back to the house. But it was when she held out her hand to grab the doorknob, when she saw something out of the corner of her eye. Amy turned, her eyes looking at the bundles that were carefully placed on her doorstep. Did Cream drop off more cakes? Amy wondered, before bending down, looking closer.

She lifted one of the bundles, surprised that it was covered with the smoothest silk blanket. No cake would ever be treated so carefully, she noted as she parted the baby blue fabric, only to gasp. Her limbs went numb, and she felt as though she'd been punched in the stomach by the sudden shock.

For, lying so preciously inside the blanket was a beautiful baby. Amy stilled, bending over, still holding the baby, and revealing another baby in the other bundle. Amy swallowed, somehow grabbing the other baby, and opening the door before disappearing inside her house. Her world was dark at the edges as she sat down on the floor, the bundles lying in her arms. She parted the blanket again, seeing the same babies, nestled safely inside. She touched her freezing hands, before removing the rest of the blankets in disbelief. The babies whimpered at their exposure, but soon went back into their deep sleeps. "Oh..." Amy whispered, touching the one of the child's tiny hand.

They were newborns; she could tell by the white quills that all baby hedgehogs bore, at least two weeks after birth. The babies were so small, about the size of the distance between her elbow and fingertip. So small, she mused, so precious. Amy swallowed, watching as the child she'd touched, turned its head into the blanket, its small chest rising and falling, as she took notice of the dark tan skin that was such a stark contrast to her pale skin. Amy looked, hoping for a note, a letter, anything. But all she found was the small little yellow pacifier that was tucked away in the recess of the blanket, two diapers, and a crumbled twenty-dollar bill.

Amy separated these items, before setting the baby on the floor, watching the child wince, as the other baby continued to sleep. Then, it began to whimper, and the child's cheeks went red. Amy quickly picked up the other baby, despite it being in a horrible blizzard, the baby was warm as though it hadn't taken one step outside. Amy cooed, nuzzling the white quills. This baby was dark too, but not nearly so much as the first one. Also, it seemed more fragile, in a way. "Little baby," she whispered, softly. "Sweet baby." she held on tighter, a feeling rising in her chest. "Sweet, sweet baby."

The child's eyes fluttered open, but its whimpering had ceased. Amy put that baby down, returning to the other one, who was rubbing its eyes with its uncoordinated fists. Amy bit back another gasp as she looked at the baby's eyes, staring straight into hers. The eyes were a pretty lime green color, splashed with speckles of brown, and as she looked, she could see there was no pupil. Just a shining pool of emerald green, and as Amy stared, the baby seemed to get a hurt look on its face. As it began to whimper, Amy snapped back to attention, rocking the baby.

"It's alright." she cooed again, looking at its confused face. "You poor thing, left out in the cold like that." she paused. "Don't worry, I'm here now."

The baby was soon asleep; she changed the small child before setting it on her bed, placing pillows around it to assure safety. It was a boy, she realized, as she bent down and hesitantly kissed his tender forehead. A boy, a baby boy, in her home. As she did the same with the other one, she realized the other baby was a little girl. A baby girl and a baby boy. Amy tried it out, finding that she loved the idea a little too much. Outside, her footsteps had been buried underneath inches of slush, and she knew she would have to fight the weather tomorrow, too. Her road would be blocked, of course, she still had time, and she could clear it if she worked hard enough.

But Amy simply stayed, watching the little children sleep, waiting for the smallest call so she could tend to their every need. All they had to do was make a peep and Amy was there, stroking their back or singing a soft lullaby. She moved through the darkness, determined, finding her way. When the little boy cried, Amy picked him up, cradling, whispering. "Little love..." As the baby looked outside, he seemed curious, as Amy smiled, her mouth resting on his smooth skin. She kissed him lightly.

"It's really snowing, isn't it?" Amy whispered, noticing that for the first time, she was not just speaking into the empty air. And she was not lonely, nor feeling a sense of loss. The boy she was so in love with, Sonic, didn't even cross her mind. The baby clutched tight to her, watching the snow, as she whispered soft reassurances. Amy looked with him, past the trees and the soft bruised sky, all the way to the fading yellow moon, and made a promise to take them there.

The windows were frosted, and she could not help but find it beautiful, the sparkling snow, and the feel of the baby against her as she smoothed out the wild white quills better. What would she do? She wondered, she could not possibly stay here tomorrow, Sonic would be Christmas shopping. The only time once a year he stayed long enough to be caught. But she could not possibly leave them, either. Amy breathed as the baby fell asleep in her arms once more, and she knew soon his sister would demand the same treatment.

Well, she smirked against the smooth skin, breathing in the smell of pine and fresh fruit. She would need supplies for the baby, and since Sonic would be out tomorrow anyway. He could drop off what she needed, and thus, providing a window of opportunity for interaction. The thought gave her a sense of purpose and excitement. But then, she wondered, what would she do? She was needed for missions, to save the world. How was she supposed to do that with two babies?

She blushed. Why had they been dropped off at her house? Amy wondered. Was there a reason, or was she just the first choice? She'd like to think there was a reason, especially on this cold winter day, where at any other circumstance, she had always been alone. Amy heard the little girl, and before she could wake up her brother, she set the boy down and was soon cradling the other one.

Amy put the thought out of her mind, only focusing on the lullaby she had begun to sing. Because she thought, by morning, she might have some sort of answer.

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**_A/N: _**So how was it? Good, right? Right. Please drop a review, or at least say hello. We do like them "hellos." 

Thanks for reading!

The Queen of Aces

azngirlchibi


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N: _**The next chapter of Cold Compassion is finally up!

I'll talk away later.

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_**"Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for the truth."**_

_- Benjamin Disraeli_

**Dedicated to Marianne**

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_

_There was no warning, no explosion. One moment, everything was normal… and the next, everything was erased. _

_No more. _

_As if it had never existed at all…_

Sonic bolted upright with a gasp. A cold, chilly wind blew through his open window, biting at his skin and freezing his sweat. He couldn't remember why his hands were so clammy, or why he felt so sick, or why the room was spinning…

For a second, he felt almost… scared.

The blue hedgehog shook his head, closing his eyes, as green as summer grass. He willed the spinning to stop, before slowly getting up onto his feet.

Gingerly, he walked over to the open window and closed it with a snap. He hated feeling cut off from nature, and he never really bought the idea of having a roof over his head. Sleeping under the stars with the moon raining it's soft light on him – he had always preferred that, no matter how much Tails teased him about it.

"_Your heart's a vagabond,"_ the two-tailed fox would say, laughing. Sonic smirked to himself before stretching lethargically.

"_Be it rain, hail, or the end of the world," _he would reply back, before ruffling his adopted brother's fur.

'_The end of the world…' _Sonic frowned a bit. He had too many close encounters with that already. He peered out the frosty window. "Wow," he muttered to himself. "It must've been some storm last night." He felt grateful that Tails had let him stay in his garage for the night.

Quickly, he threw on a hat and a scarf, which trailed behind him as if it was alive. He strolled purposefully to the door, before throwing it open. Tails would know that he had left, even if he didn't say goodbye. Sonic hated goodbyes.

The sun immediately greeted him, making the snow dazzle before his eyes. Icicles clung onto bare trees, refracting sunlight into a shower of rainbows. When his eyes adjusted, he plunged through the deep snow, feeling the still, cold air scratch at his skin and stick his eyelashes together. He could almost taste the cold on his tongue as air steamed in front of him with each breath. Clouds crawled by slowly above him, but besides that, the sky was a clear, deep blue.

The snow was very deep, and Sonic was having trouble running. He eventually gave up. He let his thoughts wander as his feet led him aimlessly around the metropolis of Station Square. _'Hmm… what should I do today?' _he wondered. For as long as he could remember, he had always woken up to this question. He never had a strict schedule, but life always seemed to have something ready for him to take on. Not that he minded – he enjoyed helping people.

His feet suddenly stopped, and his mind was jolted from his thoughts.

'_Is this… Amy's place?' _His feet had never led him here before. He probably wouldn't have known if he hadn't peered through the frost-caked window and saw her face, peaceful as it slept.

Sonic blinked, not really sure if he should go in or not. She looked so carefree. He laughed to himself. Even when she was asleep, her feelings were plain for the world to see, written boldly on her delicate face. He always did admire her for that. She wore her emotions so proudly on her sleeve, never mind what other people think.

The wind was getting stronger. He looked up. "More snow," he muttered. _'I guess… I should go in,' _he decided.

He approached the house. He noted that her old, dirt path was caked with snow. _'That's not like Amy,' _he thought, confused.

He knocked on the door. Immediately, she saw Amy jump up behind the window panes. She looked at him once, widened her eyes, and immediately smiled. Sonic waved. Before he could so much as blink, the door was thrown open and he was being pulled inside the warm house.

"Sonic? What are you doing here?" she asked happily. Snow slid off his shoulders and onto her soft carpet. "Did I keep you waiting? Oh, I can't believe I fell asleep…"

"Amy…" His voice was soft. Amy faltered a bit in surprise. "You look tired."

Amy blinked. She had forgotten she was tired as soon as Sonic had appeared at her doorstep… as mysteriously as the babies had been left there too…

"I'm really not that tired," she insisted. Sonic smiled inwardly. It was just like Amy to tend to other's needs before her own.

Amy led him deeper inside. Strange how the only house that he'd never feel awkward in was Amy's, he mused. As he walked, he took off his hat, freeing his ears. They twitched, taking in all the sounds of Amy's home. Snow was sliding off the roof of her house, and her dishwasher was running somewhere. Fire popped and crackled in her fireplace, nearly drowning out the sounds of something crying…

He instinctively looked at Amy. He cocked his head to the side, confused. He was _sure _he heard crying, but Amy looked alright, though a bit tired…

"Amy, is something crying?" he asked.

Amy froze. Suddenly, the crying seemed even louder than ever, a forlorn sound that echoed along the walls.

"I'm… babysitting for someone," she said. It was the half-truth, anyway, she decided.

Sonic gave her a scrutinizing look. Amy shivered. His eyes! They were so intensely green, even greener then her own. He could probably drown her in them if he wanted…

"You're lying," he observed. Amy flinched. Were her emotions so plainly written that she couldn't hide them, even if she wanted? "You never were a good liar," he continued. Amy looked down at her feet. He was probably mad at her for lying to him now.

She heard him sigh. His breath tickled the back of her head. "But I won't pry if you don't want me to," he said. Amy felt her heart leap to her throat. It seemed to hang there, beating quicker and quicker until she was almost going to gasp for breath.

Amy looked up at his face. It was as smooth and unreadable as always. He could hide what he felt much better than she could. "You're not mad at me?" she asked.

Sonic looked startled, but shook his head. "Mad at you for what? Everyone has their secrets." He winked at her. Amy felt her face heat up.

The crying continued, wailing louder and louder until Amy couldn't ignore it anymore. "W-wait here," she stammered, before hurrying away.

Sonic let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding and plopped down on the soft chair that was warming itself beside the fire. _'I think that's the first conversation she had with me that didn't end in a hug.' _He chuckled to himself. Amy did seem a bit… changed? He wasn't sure if he liked it, but he defiantly didn't hate it either. Her footsteps were softer, as if they were afraid of disturbing something, and her face was tinged with a heavenly shine that he'd never saw on her before. The wild fire that burned inside her seemed to have died down to a hot, but tamed glow.

He heard it again. Those soft, gentle footsteps that barely stirred the dust that had settled over her carpet. He looked up. "Sonic… I think you should know about this…" Amy said. She hesitated, before handing him a soft bundle wrapped in water-blue silk.

A white hedgehog baby stared up at him. It's face shone with tears, it's eyes reflecting his astonished reflection like tiny mirrors.

"Amy… you…" He could barely choke the words out.

"They're not mine, if that's what you're going to ask," she said firmly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Sonic stared down at the baby again. Suddenly, it's face seemed to cave in on itself, and it let out another wail.

The weariness seemed to show on Amy's face. "Here's her twin…" She unwrapped the top of the other bundle. Another baby was nestled in her arms, sleeping peacefully, though it's face sometimes twitched as if it could hear it's sister's cries.

"Amy…" Sonic breathed, "Who left them behind? Was there a note?"

Amy shook her head. "I really have no idea how they were left there." Again, her mind flashed back to the time yesterday – had it only been a day? – when the snow had pelted down on her house, and two babies were left on her doorstep, waiting for her…

"So… what are you going to do?"

Amy swallowed back tears. That question had haunted her during her sleep. Having it voiced by Sonic made it seem worse… or better. At least now she had to answer it.

"I… I want to take care of them," she answered firmly. She looked at Sonic.

Sonic had that look again. That blank look that made you wonder what he was thinking. "How?" he asked.

The tears were coming. The little boy's face was blurring before her eyes. "I don't know… but I can't just leave them out there in the snow!" Her voice sounded desperate, but as hard as she tried to hide it, she couldn't. She clutched the baby tighter to her chest. "They're so little… they can't defend themselves…"

"Amy… you can't defend every single person in the whole world." Sonic shook his head.

"I can try," the pink hedgehog answered defiantly.

The little girl in Sonic's arms kept crying. The baby boy in Amy's arms was starting to fidget in it's sleep. But besides that, only the crying indicated that there was life in Amy's house, as the crying broke the silence like smashing glass.

Amy took a deep breath. The snow was starting to come down again, even harder than yesterday if it was possible. "Sonic…" she said, softly. "I can tell that you already love them as much as I do."

Sonic stiffened. _'She's right…' _A part of his mind whispered. _'She might not be good a lying, but no one is as good as telling the truth as she is.'_

Amy heard Sonic chuckle. She looked up in surprise. "A baby girl and a baby boy…" he whispered, just like she had only a day before. "I think I like that idea… maybe even a little too much." He laughed again, only louder.

The boy woke up and looked around curiously. Sonic nodded at the bundle in Amy's arms. "Does he have a name yet?"

Amy blushed. "Well…" she said, her voice shy, unlike the firm voice that she had used just a second ago. "I was thinking of the name… Nathaniel." Her blush heated up along her pale white muzzle.

"Nathaniel…" Sonic tried the name on his tongue, rolling it around like hard candy. "I like it Amy…" He saw her smile, and he smiled back at her. "What about the girl?" he asked, as she continued wailing in his arms.

"I don't have a name for her yet," she admitted, a bit ashamed. "I was… was kind of half-hoping… that you would name her…"

Sonic felt his hear jump. Name the little girl? He looked down at her. Find a name that would suit her?

He thought, unconsciously holding tighter to the little girl. She felt so fragile in his arms, her limbs like glass, but it just made him want to protect her all the more. And she seemed so sad… if only he could make her happy…

The name suddenly came to him, like it was just waiting for the right moment to appear. "Naomi," he answered. "We'll call her Naomi."

Amy smiled. "Naomi… 'The pleasant one'…"

Sonic looked down on the newly-named baby. "Naomi…" he whispered. Abruptly, the crying stopped. The girl looked up at him for a long moment… and smiled. '_Maybe she was only crying because she was waiting for her name,'_ Sonic thought with a silent laugh.

"A little boy and a little girl…" Amy felt herself love the idea even more, if it was possible. "Nathaniel and Naomi…"

Amy smiled at Sonic. _'He… he would make a really good…' _She was careful not to finish the thought, as if she wanted to save the idea – the wonderful, almost impossible idea – for another time to savor.

A knocking at the door broke the silence.

"I'll get it," said Sonic, tenderly putting Naomi into Amy's arms.

When Sonic looked back at this night, he felt like he would always regret opening the door. He could still almost feel the carpet he had walked on sinking into the floor, as if trying to stop him before he could reach the door. The snow had tapped violently onto the glass, he would also remember, and the wind had stung his face when he had opened the door. The figure had been silhouetted against the overhang of icicles, like the figure had been inviting him into the mouth of a huge, unseen beast, waiting to swallow him whole.

And he would forever regret accepting the invitation.

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**_A/N: _**So... yeah... all the usual stuff I say... hope you enjoyed the chapter, next chapter will be up soon, yadda yadda yadda... Don't you guys ever get tired of me saying the same things over and over again?? But I do think the chapter went a bit fast... it was kinda rushed... my brain was kinda fried from my math exam, but I guess I don't really have a "real" excuse :P

Anyways, my (as in, azngirlchibi) summer will start after my last exam... which is on Tuesday... so I'll finally actually update my half of the chapters earlier :)

Thanks for reading!

**Anonymous Reviews:**

**None. Wow O.O**

_The Queen of Aces_

_Azngirlchibi_


	3. Chapter 3

**_A/N: _**Here's the next chapter of "Cold Compassion." This chapter's by The Queen of Aces :)

**Edit: **Sorry, the quote dissapeared so I added it back on... :P

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**Dedicated to Marianne**

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**_"A religious man is a person who holds God and man in one thought at one time, at all times, who suffers harm done to others, whose greatest passion is compassion,_** **_whose greatest strength is love and defiance of despair."_**

_-Abraham Joshua Heschel _

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"Bye and bye, by and by," Amy sang as she poked at the little girl's small round nose. "The moon is half a lemon pie." The baby stared at the finger, simply memorized as it trailed down her subtle, small, and developing features. "When the cow jumps the moon, ring the bell. And you'll have a new story to tell." Amy giggled as the girl seemed to tilt her head in an almost questionable manner.

Naomi, she tried it again, before deciding that with a first name came a middle name. She thought, at the same time, wondering how peculiar it was that the girl had yet to show any signs of discomfort. She had hardly ever cried, except to be changed, to be fed, and to be held. Never because she was unhappy, just simply out of a need to be tended to.

Amy took her small wrists in her hands, waving them while still thinking both thoughts. She knew about her real mother, the one who had died while giving birth. She'd introduced herself as Mary, in her will, just Mary. And then, she knew about her grandmother, the one who raised her for eight years before she ran away. Her real name had been Rose, and she'd been the closest thing she'd had to a parent.

"Naomi Rose-Mary," she thought, and it sounded sweet, right. Deciding, it would please everyone, except for her mother, who had hated her grandmother with a vengeance, and her grandmother, who would never be able to stand the fact that her name would be defiled by its combination to the name of her late mother.

Amy decided she'd ask Sonic about it later, keeping away the reasons why of course. "Naomi Rose-Mary." she said again, smiling as she said it. "Rose-Mary." She couldn't keep the giggle out of her voice.

With a sense of finality, she set Naomi down gently, placing a pillow underneath her small head to help her neck support the weight. Then, she picked up her obnoxious brother, who seemed to cry just because he felt the need to.

"Nathaniel," she smiled, kissing his forehead and setting his head so it rest in the crook of her arm. "I've been thinking about yours." she told him, surprised when he stuck out his tongue and made a small but effective raspberry.

She laughed, smoothing out the small cowlick on the back of his tender head. "Nathaniel Oliver. How does that sound to you?"

The little boy only blew another raspberry; face lit with delight at the sound, then began to repeat his newest discovery. As Amy stuck out her own tongue at him, his face grew bright, and he unleashed a happy toothless grin, mouth a wide open gaping hole.

Then, she paused, remembering. "What in the world is taking Sonic so long?" she asked the little infant, as though he might hold the answer. She received another raspberry. She smiled, picking the child up. "Let's go check up on him, shall we?"

Managing to pick up both children without fault, she made her way to the front door. She was surprised when she saw that he was nowhere to be found. Anger and hurt rose up in her chest like wildfire.

"That no good double-crossing-" she stopped as she looked from the window, only to see he was right in the front yard, talking to someone. She tried to look past the snow, but only saw a few blurred colors. "Wonder who he could be talking to?" she shrugged. "Oh well...come on you guys, I think it's naptime."

Nathaniel blew a loud and quite impressive raspberry. In between fits of laughter, her ear perked at the sound of the doorbell. She looked at her full arms, laughing. "Come in!" she yelled, as she made her way back to the living room. When she saw, not Sonic, but a very cold Rouge and a shivering Cream, she smiled. "Oh! It's you guys!"

Cream looked at the pink smiling hedgehog, and her brown eyes shook a bit. "Oh," she breathed, like she was choking, her words constricted. "Hello Amy." she was holding onto Cheese, but she still sounded as though she was about to cry. Amy paused, raising an eyebrow while voicing her obvious concern.

"Are you alright Cream?" she asked, as the little rabbit shrunk, as if she'd called her a harsh name. Amy looked at the older bat, hoping for some sort of explanation, but found that the bat, too, seemed upset.

She blinked. "Is it...my hair?" she asked, knowing it was ruffled up and not nearly as kept as it always was. She watched as they fell silent. "My dress?" she asked, knowing it seemed to be wearing her, and not the other way around.

Rouge finally spoke up. "No, Amy, you look fine." She looked up. "It's just...um... we have some things to talk about. If you don't mind, maybe we can sit down and discuss it?" she asked, and Amy nodded, watching as they walked to the living room. She sat on the couch, taking immediate notice that they both sat across from her, away.

While she watched Rouge, it was actually Cream who made the first conversation. "Miss Amy, am I your friend?"

Amy wondered why the little rabbit had returned to formal titles, but said nothing about it. She merely smiled and nodded. "Of course you are, Cream." She answered, as the little rabbit tucked her legs underneath her, fidgeting and refusing to meet her eyes.

"And...you'd do anything to protect me, right?" she asked, as Amy paused, but only for a moment.

"Absolutely."

"Even if it meant sacrificing something you cared about?"

Where was she going with this? Amy nodded weakly. "Without a doubt." She replied. "In a heartbeat."

"What if I asked you to give up those babies?"

The sentence was deadly; she felt a knife being twisted in her stomach, a sharp, acute pain. Her eyes flew to the two children, to Naomi, who was simply watching her, and to Nathaniel, who was staring at his hand in a wondrous fascination. She looked back up at the rabbit, who was now looking at her, awaiting her answer. Finally, Amy's voice came, wavering. "Well..." she paused. "I don't...I couldn't..."

Cream's voice came slightly harsher than before. "Would you sacrifice those two, for the lives of everyone you know, and love?" she asked, and Amy found her eyes trailing back to the children. Nathaniel was now uncurling and curling his fist, watching, while Naomi blinked those pretty eyes back at her. Unlike her brother, Naomi had pupils in her eyes, and they seemed like bottomless pits of love and trust meant only for her.

Amy didn't answer, after awhile, Rouge stepped in. "What she means, is..." she pointed to the hedgebabes, aqua eyes filled with something Amy didn't expect. Fear, mixed with hate, and anger. "Those children, you're holding," her finger shook a little, unsteadily, as she breathed. "Those are the key to the end of the universe, as we know it."

And Amy knew, by the look in her friend's eyes, and the way Cream began to cry, that her whole world was just turned upside down.

"A prophecy?" Sonic's surprised voice came as the harsh wind reddened his face, hardly able to see the person who was standing across from him. "Hold on pal, just what are you getting at?" he asked, as the red echidna pinched his frozen face, trying to bring back the feeling.

His black counterpart remained still, though he would shiver occasionally. Beside him, the orange fox had both of his tails wrapped around him; rubbing his mittens together and watching his foggy breath dissolve into the freezing winter air.

"Those two monsters in there," Knuckles spoke, voice ragged from lack of sleep and exhaustion and bitterness. His finger was pointed at the cozy little house, accusing. "They're the children from a prophecy, it's old and it's timeless, but it's as real as the Master Emerald itself." he blew into his gloved hands, dreadlocks blowing in the wind and flying into his face. "They're going to cause the destruction of the universe, not the world, Sonic, the universe."

Sonic turned to his best friend. "What in the world is he talking about?" he asked, surprised when the orange fox replied in a grave tone.

"I really hoped this day would never come. Really, Sonic, I'm sorry. If I only knew..." his voice cracked, but he dare not cry, not at the risk of freezing his face. "I might have been able to do something...gotten to them before they reached you and Amy." he sighed. "But I'm just glad we found them before it was too late."

Sonic, by now, was getting fearful. "Wait a minute. What are you going to do to them?"

Knuckles blinked, taking a shocked expression. "We're getting rid of them." He replied, cool and calm as though it was perfectly natural. "No children, no problem."

Sonic held out both arms. "Hold on a second! Can we go at a slower pace, please?" he turned to Knuckles. "You're saying you want to kill those kids?"

"Yes."

"Because...of...a prophecy?" he asked, awed and appalled. "That may or may not even come true?"

"It's going to come true." Knuckles replied, stubborn and unmovable and unconvinced. "We're at a risk even now."

Shadow, who had not spoken since arrival, nodded. "They're going to be the death of us all."

"You want to kill them because of who they might turn out to be?" Sonic asked, his eyes trailing to the black and red mixed hedgehog. "You, Shadow?" he asked, a secret message hidden there somewhere. The hedgehog stared with ruby red eyes, before looking away harshly.

The hardcore hedgehog closed his eyes in pity and sympathy. "We've been talking it over. We knew about it for a month, now." he opened his eyes and looked down at the ground. "It's not right, yes, but it's necessary. I won't let the whole universe fall because it's just unethical."

Sonic's face fell, showing no emotion. Tails sighed. "You have to understand it both ways, Sonic. Think about it, just think." he spoke soft. "It's either those two, or everyone else."

Sonic shook his head. "No, I just...I need to think..." he looked at the others. "Just give me a few days to-"

"Don't you get it?" the echidna was nearly screaming. "Those things could go off any second and when they do, there's nothing we can do to stop them."

Sonic growled. "One." he looked at them. "Just give me one day, then. I have to talk about this, with Amy. I...I just have to talk to her." he looked beyond them now. "Please...just one day."

Finally, the trio nodded. "Alright." They called the girls, who excited with grim faces. As they left, Sonic felt his insides go numb. He waited, before entered the house once more. When he found Amy, she was on the couch, cuddling two crying babies. Her cheek was tender, red, as though it had been slapped. She was near tears, but she didn't make a single sound.

The pink hedgehog began to rock them, cooing and nuzzling, keeping them close to her. Then, she began to whisper. She leaned over to Nathaniel, who was whimpering, her mouth pressed against his warm skin. "Don't be afraid..." She then looked up. "I won't let them take you. Everything will be alright."

The blue hedgehog frowned, before stepping towards Amy. He faced her, green eyes bearing into a different shade of the same color. Amy held them. "I'm not going to give them up." she decided, fierce.

Sonic nodded, as if his head were too heavy for his neck, before giving her a look that she couldn't uncode. "I know." he told her, before reaching our and stroking the side of Naomi's head. "That's why I'm with you." As she looked up, he gave her a smirk. "All the way Ames." He breathed. "They'll be here by tomorrow. That doesn't give us much time." He sighed. "I'm not going to let them take Nathaniel and Naomi."

Amy was shaking. "What are you saying?" she asked, her voice tight.

"I'm saying," Sonic smiled, kneeling and touching Nathaniel's astonished face. The voice that came next was filled with emotions neither one of them could ever hope to decode. "Amy, we're going to run away."

* * *

**_A/N: _**Gasps! Yes, they're going to run away! There's fantasy-type stuff in it! Hey, it's by The Queen of Aces _and _Azngirlchibi, meaning tons of drama _and _fantasy. 

Anyways, the next chapter's actually done... so it'll be up very, very soon :)

Oh, and you might or might not noticed this, but the story's genre is now "Romance/Friendship."

Thanks for reading!

**Anonymous Reviews:**

**None again. What happened to them all:(**

_The Queen of Aces_

_azngirlchibi_


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N: _**God, I am so mad right now, 'cause I made about a million corrections to this chapter, but then my stupid browser went backwards. Stupid... Microsoft shortcut things... I had to correct this chapter twice!! AHH!!

Yep, spaz attack over... anyways, the story's coming along very nicely thanks to the support we get from all of you guys :) It makes us both very, very happy!

Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

_**"When you begin to touch your heart or let your heart be touched, you begin to discover that it's bottomless, that it doesn't have any resolution, that this heart is huge, vast, and limitless. You begin to discover how much warmth and gentleness is there, as well as how much space."**_

_- Pema Chodron_

* * *

Tails was waiting for them as soon as they entered the tiny workshop. Not that Sonic was too surprised – Tails had known him long enough to know what he was thinking, even before he had thought them himself. 

"Tails," Sonic stated, nodding at him as if he was a stranger. He walked forward, and the old wood creaked under his footsteps. The familiar smell of wood and oil rose up his nostrils, but he couldn't find any comfort in the familiar.

Tails nodded back, his face so cold that Amy clutched the babies tighter to her chest, as if she could protect them from his gaze.

"Is anyone else here?" Sonic inquired, still keeping that even tone.

Tails shook his head. "They're looking for the two of you," he answered, his voice cutting, like the cold blade of a knife.

Amy shrank back. All her courage seemed to have been used up. She looked tired… so tired…

"We… we won't go with you," she whispered faintly. The babies were silent as well. They stared up at Tails, their faces still innocent, still unblemished by the hardships that waited for them…

Tails tried to keep the anger in his voice controlled. "You don't have a choice," he retorted. The anger under his voice circled like a shark.

Sonic stepped forward. "Look, Tails…"

Tails snapped. "Sonic, I can't believe that you're helping those babies!" he shouted, his voice angry and mixed with despair. "They can end the world as we know it! What happened to all those wonderful declarations of protection you always spouted? You promised everyone… you promised _me… _that you would dedicate your life to protecting everyone, no matter what!"

Sonic was silent. Tails's angry accusations continued bouncing off the white walls. The blank walls seemed to mock the hedgehog's empty words.

When he spoke though, his voice was still even. It made Tails so mad, the way he was treating him like a stranger… like someone he didn't know. He had no right… not in his mind's eye. "I can't protect everyone, Tails, as much as I would like to." Sonic looked away, his eyes staring at the walls, as if trying to bore a hole in them.

"Then get rid of those babies! If they're gone, then everyone will be okay! Everyone will… will…" Tails's voice broke. Tears ran down his face. It wasn't fair… It just wasn't fair! Why did those babies have to choose Sonic and Amy? And why… why couldn't Sonic just understand?

"Tails… if I leave the babies to you, who will protect them?" Sonic stared at the fox in the eyes. He was looking through his tears, trying to find something in them… Tails looked away.

"Who cares about those little monsters?" Tails shot back. Bitterness rose in hit throat like bile. "They were born for one reason, and one reason only – to destroy the universe."

Sonic glanced at the baby. Was he trying to convince himself that they could truly destroy the universe? Tails felt something like a tiny spark of hope flare in his chest. "Believe me, Sonic. If we don't get rid of them, they will be the end of us all!"

The blue hedgehog glanced at the babies again and then back at Tails. "What does this prophecy say anyway?"

Tails felt his mind being pulled back to that ancient tablet that Knuckles had set down before him. He had pored over it so many times that he had it memorized by heart.

'_Oh ice,_

_Ice that freezes tears,_

_Why do you bring before me_

_What will end the world,_

_What will create new beginnings,_

_What will need to learn what great power is?_

_Oh ice,_

_Ice that stops my heart,_

_Why do you bring before me_

_What will walk into creation,_

_And leave destruction behind?'_

Amy's eyes widened. Had she not found the babies on a day when the snow had drowned grass, pierced sunlight, and froze trees?

But Sonic was shaking his head. "This is ridiculous…"

Tails glared at the babies with hostility. "Well, whether it's ridiculous or not, it's true. And if you're the _hero _that I know you really are, you have to hand them over."

Sonic continued shaking his head. "How can you believe in that prophecy?"

Tails looked surprised. "What are you talking about?"

Sonic looked at him with his incredibly green eyes. "Prophecies can be changed, can't they? Remember all those prophecies that Eggman looked up? Most of them never came true."

"Only because we did something about them," Tails retorted. "We can't change fate. We can't change our destinies."

Sonic raised an eyebrow. "Since when did you believe in things like fate and destiny?"

Tails bit his lip. _'Since when? Ever since I laid my eyes on those babies. Ever since the prophecies kept on coming true, one after another. And then… I realized that fate couldn't be changed… unless it wanted to.' _

Sonic looked at him closely. He was always very good at reading the fox's thoughts. "Tails… 'fate' and 'destiny…' Those are just words. We can change them… we can choose where we want to go, and what we want to become. Besides, remember all those times Eggman tried to use some sort of prophecy to take over the world? We always managed to save it, right?"

Tails shook his head. "The prophecies don't mention anything that will help us turn it around. All those other times… you only were able to stop him because the prophecies say so…"

"… And so you just _assume _that the only way to stop them is to kill Nathaniel and Naomi?"

Tails stared at them, shocked. _"You named them? _Sonic, they're going to end the world, and _you named them?" _

A chilly breeze blew through the workshop. The wind was starting to pick up. Maybe it was mad at them. Maybe the whole universe was mad at them for keeping those babies. Sonic pushed the thought away. "Amy and I named them Tails, yes. Because they're alive, they live and breathe just like we do."

The snow howled louder than ever, as if everything wanted to protest against his statement. _"How could you?" _It seemed to scream into his ears. _"How could you give us up for the sake of only two children?" _

Tails's bright-blue eyes were drowned with despair. "You… you can't…" He seemed more shocked from the fact that they name them than anything. _"How could you, Sonic? _You're giving up all of us… Knuckles… Shadow… Rouge… _me… _just so you can protect what will ultimately end us all. I thought… I thought…"

"… You thought you knew me better, right?" Sonic finished for him. His eyes softened. "Up until today… I thought so too…"

Surprise stole over Tails's features. "What do you mean?"

Sonic shook his head, his voice gentle. Sonic looked at Naomi and Nathaniel with tenderness that set Tails's heart on fire with jealousy. It was the way he used to look at him… the look that he reserved for him, and it said, "I'll protect you no matter what, Tails."

And now, he was using it on the two monsters!

"Up until yesterday, the world seemed so much simpler," said Sonic, his hand gently brushing back Nathaniel's and Naomi's hair. "You know… good and evil were so black and white to me. I never thought about the gray area in between, or how the border can blur and mix." He sighed, his hand dropping. "But now… look at me. I'm probably crazy for doing this… what's good and what's bad isn't so plain anymore."

"Than how do you know what you're doing is right?" Tails demanded.

Amy spoke up. He had forgotten she was even there. She still looked tired, like she had aged too quickly overnight. The bags under her eyes sent a strange feeling of pity though him, but he angrily brushed it away from his heart. "Because we feel what we're doing is right."

Tails groaned in despair. "It's not that simple."

Amy shook her head. "Yes it is. Isn't that was being good is all about? Doing what you think in your heart is right?"

Tails struggled with his tongue. Words always seemed to betray you the moment you needed them most. _'Just goes to show that words are only words, right?' _he thought bitterly to himself. _'Just like all those promises Sonic made…' _

Sonic inched closer to him. "Look, Tails. Amy and I can't stay here any longer."

Tails tensed. "What do you mean?" he asked. _'What a stupid question!' _A part of him thought scornfully in his mind. _'Your hero, your big brother, your best friend… he's going to…' _Tails pushed the thought away… as far away as he could from his mind before it could finish.

Amy walked up to him, her movements slow with hesitation. "Tails, please understand…"

Tails backed away, his eyes showing anger, hatred… and fear. "No! I don't understand! I _can't!' _Curse his voice! He thought the shaking tears had disapeared, but now they were drowning his tongue with sorrow. _"I don't understand _any _of this!" _he shouted, as if it could make the shaking stop. "Why would you turn the whole world against you for something that will end it?"

They were so close to him now… uncomfortably close. He could grab the babies if he wanted to… he could run out with them, bury them in the snow, and then it would all go away. But… his fingers went numb, and his arms hung uselessly at his sides. Even his body was betraying him when he needed it most.

Sonic's voice was quiet, hardly above a whisper. He hadn't used that voice with him in years… Not since, all those years ago, he had claimed that he was no longer a child. How happy he had been back then – naively happy.

"Tails… I don't want to leave either…"

Tails's ears perked up.

"… But I have to do what I think is right."

Tails trembled. He thought that he had grown up after all those years with Sonic, but he was still a child at heart. He wished that he was grown-up… maybe _then _Sonic would've listened to him.

"But… but what am _I _going to do?" he asked.

Sonic inhaled sharply. Tails really was still a child. Could he afford to be left alone, all by himself, waiting to grow up? Could he make it without him? Was it time that he finally found out what the world was like… what it _really _was like… all by himself? The trembling wreck of a fox right now sure didn't seem like it…

Sonic wiped those thoughts away. He had to stop thinking that Tails was a child. Without him knowing… Tails had grown up. And it was time that he made his own decisions.

Sonic let out a sigh. "You have to do what your heart thinks is right."

Tails took in a deep breath. "I… I can't." His voice choked with tears. "I can't lose you guys… Amy, you're like a mother to me… and Sonic, you're my best friend…" His voice dropped to a whisper. "I don't want you to go…"

Amy looked away, her eyes starting to brim with tears.

Tails continued looking at them, as if his will could change theirs. "Why…" he whispered. "Why won't you just… why won't you just leave the babies?"

Sonic walked up to him, and placed a hand on his shoulder. Tails didn't try to walk away, like he thought he'd would. "Amy and I made a promise, buddy. We're going to protect them… no matter what."

Tails shuddered. "So you'd have us… your friends… as your enemies, just to protect two babies you've barely known for a day?"

The babies started to whimper. Maybe they really _did _understand him.

"Tails, can I ask you something?" Sonic's hand was taken off his shoulder. "Would you give up one person… just one person… for the whole world?"

Tails didn't have to think about that one. He nodded. "If it's only one person, yes."

Sonic smiled ruefully. "What if that one person… was me?"

Tails's mind blanked. He didn't stop Sonic as he walked back to Amy. He didn't stop them as they gathered into the Tornado. He didn't stop them when the front blades started spinning, and he didn't feel the wind-swept debris that sliced at his skin, giving him little cuts. The garage door rumbled open, and with a loud roar that seemed muffled to Tails's ears… they were gone. The blizzard had closed behind them like a curtain… like he had just witnessed a play that he was never going to see again.

Tails fell to his knees. Maybe it was all a dream… and he would wake up…

He closed his eyes, and opened them again.

They were still gone.

A door slammed open behind him. "Tails!" Knuckles walked up to him, helping him roughly to his feet. Tails almost stumbled. Sonic would never do something like that.

"Tails!" His voice was sharp with urgency. "Where did they go? They weren't at their house, and we saw the Tornado take off…"

"I… I don't know," he said, turning and wiping away his tears.

"What do you mean, you don't know?" Knuckles shook him roughly. "Where _are _they?"

"Mr. Knuckles! Please stop!" Cream grabbed Knuckles's arm, trying to pry them away, but the echidna shook her off. "Mr. Knuckles," Cream tried again. "He's in shock. Can't you tell?"

"There's no time to be shocked!" Knuckles shot back. He turned to Tails. "We don't have time for you to be in a daze, Tails! Tell us where Sonic went!"

Tails pulled away from Knuckles. "Th-they ran away."

Knuckles raised an impatient eyebrow. How can someone change in less than a day? "By foot? But we _saw _the plane take off!"

"It… it was a diversion," Tails muttered, his eyes darting away. Why was he lying? Maybe he still was hoping that this was just a horrible nightmare. "They set the plane on auto-pilot and ran away."

"And you didn't stop them?!" Knuckles shouted. He shook Tails.

"Knuckles, _calm down," _ordered Shadow. Even he seemed concern for Tails's well-being. He pried him away from the still-dazed Tails. "You won't do us any good if you shake him to death."

Knuckles growled, baring his teeth. "But he let those two _traitors," _he spat out the word like poison, "get away."

Shadow still held on tightly to Knuckles. "It was two against one, four if you count the babies. Besides, don't you remember what one of them did to us?"

Knuckles flared up even more, if that was possible. "Just another reason to get rid of them," he growled fiercely.

Tails spoke up softly. "If I remember correctly, it was only the little boy who did any sort of harm to us…"

Knuckles glared at him. "What are you talking about? All four of them must go!"

There was silence. Cream and Tails stared at him, shocked, and even Shadow was raising an eyebrow at him. "All four?" Shadow asked, coolly. "We don't want any more deaths on our hands then are necessary."

Rouge pressed her lips shut. She could feel Shadow's icy glance on her, as if waiting for her to say something. But what could she say? The white bat looked at Knuckles once, and turned away, as if her eyes had been burned. He was so _different _now. For a second, his eyes had been truly amethyst – hard and unfeeling.

She felt drowned in confusion and weariness. So much… _too _much had happened too quickly. All she wanted to do was sit down and let the weariness slide off her like water.

"Y-you're… right…" Knuckles looked a bit uncomfortable. Maybe even _he _was shocked by his own words. "I… I got a little…" He cleared his throat, and tried to soften his voice. "Tails, can you please tell us which way they went?"

_'Should I… tell him?' _Tails asked himself. Yet, he couldn't help shivering at those words that Knuckles had said earlier - _"All four of them must go!" _

Knuckles seemed to sense this. He put a comforting hand on his shoulder – just like the way Sonic would do when he felt agitated by something. Tails looked away, surpassing a shudder.

"Look, Tails. The fate of the world is at stake here. We can't let them get away," he said, as if this wiped away all those words – those horrible, terrible words that he had said earlier.

Tails nodded. "They went… North," he said, pointing in the exact opposite direction that Sonic had went.

"North?" Shadow examined him closely. "In the middle of winter?"

Tails looked away. "Yes… maybe they thought that we wouldn't guess that they'd head North in such harsh weather."

Shadow continued observing him. He shook his head. "No… Amy wouldn't allow those two babies to die up there in the North."

"Well, they did go north!" Tails snapped uncharacteristically. Shadow's eyes seemed to see through him. _'Can he tell I'm lying?' _Tails asked himself.

Knuckles sighed impatiently. "If Tails said that they went north, than they probably did. He wouldn't lie to us, right?" He gave Tails such a patronizing look that he wanted to shrink away.

"Y-yes… I mean, no, of course I wouldn't lie," mumbled Tails uncomfortably.

Knuckles nodded. "Well, they won't get far in this weather," he said, confidently. "C'mon, Cream, Shadow, Rouge. Tails, you stay here and rest for a bit… and sorry about earlier."

_'You don't sound very sorry at all,' _thought Tails, but he bit back those words and just nodded. _'You just sound like… you sound like you're trying to be a leader.' _A leader… wasn't Knuckles always left second-in-command? He could sound like a leader… but not like Sonic. No, never like Sonic.

Quickly, Knuckles threw back the door, and the wind immediately blew in. "Let's go you three!" he shouted over the wind.

Shadow nodded. "I need to have a word with Tails first," he said.

Knuckles gave him a queer look. "Fine, but catch up with Cream and Rouge and I as soon as you're done." He grabbed Cream, who looked surprised, and raced out the door. Rouge was much slower going out. Her slim body seemed to sag, like she had become and old lady. Her eyes looked dull… like they were too busy trying to convince herself of something that she already knew was a lie.

She walked out, closing the door quietly behind her.

Tails started shrinking back a bit when Shadow rested those ruby-red eyes on him. He had always been a bit intimidated by him.

They were silent for a long time as Shadow just kept staring. Tails was getting very uncomfortable. He'd never been scrutinized this way before – like a schoolboy awaiting his punishment.

Finally, just when the silence was getting unbearable, Shadow just said one thing.

"Tails… choose the sides that you're going to fight for wisely."

And then, he opened the door, and was gone.

The door wasn't closed properly. It just kept on slamming against the doorframe, in time with Tails's wildly beating heart.

* * *

**_A/N: _**Questions? Comments? You know how to contact us :) We always enjoy the comments we get... some of them are kinda funny, to tell the truth. And we seriously _will _take some of the ideas you give us, if you know... you decide to :P And it fits into the storyline, obviously. 

Thanks for reading!

**Anonymous Reviews:**

**Casey: **Wow, you have _chills? _Haven't heard of anyone having THAT reaction yet :P Thanks for reading!

The Queen of Aces

azngirlchibi (and yes, my name DOES NOT start with a freaking capital "A!")


	5. Chapter 5

_**A/N:**_ Yay! It's me, the Queen of Aces! I hope you guys have loved my chapters so far, and I would like to say I really worked hard on this chapter, but I didn't. I literally did this chapter over and over again, and I couldn't get it right, until I looked and thought: I will never be satisfied, I'm just gonna stop here before this kills me. So, you will now be enjoying: Chapter 5, attempt: 8, and the closest thing I could get to.

But whatta gonna do, huh? Whatever, enjoy. And please, feel free to review, it's good for the soul. Well...my soul anyway. Bye bye bye, changy-chang-she-bop.

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

**_"No matter which road you take they all lead home. Know that now and it will make all the difference... then."_**

-Raphie Frank

* * *

There is a language being spoken here, in the abandoned house, among the old artifacts and material possessions. The little rabbit could hear the droning sound in her ears, the absence of sound was, in itself, a sound that was precious and whole and undisturbed.

There were so many things that caused the silent tears to fall, like the smell of her best friend, that made the air heavy on her small shoulders. The pictures on the walls were eyeing her, the statues on the shelves whispering among themselves, the floor shifted underneath her weight to try and discover just who it was that disturbed their peace.

She grabbed the picture of Amy sitting on the fireplace, and the sound exploded into her mind. She had broken the silence, and was now left with her own awkward grace, as she shuffled and walked through the empty air.

Cream closed her eyes, clutching the picture, crying slightly still. "Oh, Amy." She bent over, forehead and knees pressed against the carpet as she cried.

When she is done, she wipes her eyes fiercely, she looks around the house. She was supposed to find clues about their destination, but this house is only a shrine of her best friend. She coughs away her weak voice, and sets the photo back down on her way out.

Maybe, she thinks, I will come back later.

* * *

Nathaniel Oliver was twisting in his sleep, breathing quick as though he was running and frightened.

In his little mind, he could see blocks of icy glaciers, extending to the sky, tainted darkly. He could make out his sister's crying, and suddenly, an unthinkable coldness that jolted him from sleep. He began to cry, heart beating wildly.

But by the time he was comforted by his runaway 'mother', he had forgotten everything completely. Only feeling hunger as Amy leaned back, supporting his head and watching him drink.

He suckled, downing the whole bottle in no time before giving Amy a gummy, toothless grin. Pearly white milk seeped from his lips, and Amy ran a cloth over his face before it landed on her. He stuck his lips together and hummed, then, stopped, delighted by this new sound as well.

Amy giggled as she watched Nathaniel's astonished face. "Bye and bye," she sang. "By and by. The moon is half a lemon pie." Nathaniel raised his fists, giggling so hard he began to hiccup. Amy waited as he settled down, before singing again. Nathaniel was soon giggling in between hiccups that made his whole body jump.

Amy looked past the rising sun, as Nathaniel lay nestled in her arms, as he yawned, pacifier barely in his mouth, as his dull quills brushed against her skin. He was breathing softly, his little fists still curled around the fabric of her dress. His eyes fluttered until she found he had fallen asleep. Naomi slept in the open seat beside her, arms rising over her head as she slept flat on her back. Her brother was turned on his side in her arms, out cold.

They were invisible under the veil of the sky. She just hoped that they wouldn't catch up. She forced the thought of their escape out of her mind. Instead, she focused on the sleeping hedgebabe.

She marveled about how light Nathaniel was, despite his set shoulders and supposable powers. He was always cold to the touch, despite the warm air in the plane that kept circulating around. And his skin was so tan, that when he cried, his skin turned into a plum purple, instead of a salmon pink.

He cried out for no reason, usually scaring his sister and then stopping as soon as she picked him up. And those eyes, so odd, simply filled with green and brown, glistening when he cried.

But he had the cutest little way of smiling, mouth wide open, gums gleaming and eyes bright, that softened her heart. Now, she stroked his little spines, wondering how he could ever kill anyone.

He was so small, helpless, he needed her. Couldn't anyone see that? Couldn't anyone see that he was only a little boy? The thought of terminating him, made her sick, she clutched him tighter. She closed her eyes, petting his head and running her fingers through his  
ruffled hair.

"I know you're not a monster," she tried, the only comforting words she could find. "I know. And someday, everyone else will too. We'll just have to run until they understand that." she mouthed, as Nathaniel seemed to relax in her arms, as if he understood. Amy breathed in, her words hopeful. "Maybe you'll find a way to do good. Maybe you're supposed to save us all."

Nathaniel went limp in her arms, as she set him back down by his sister. His head turned into her ear, as Naomi flinched, and Nathaniel's mouth parted in a quiet breath. As if he was telling his sister his newest hope, as if he could be anything other than what he really was.

* * *

It nearly breaks Amy's heart to shop at K-mart. She was a lady of class, to be reduced to buying the fake-diamond shades and jeans and shirts make her throat swell.

She buys a couple of packages of hair-dye, in case it ever comes to it. The jeans are alright, but the shirts are big and worn, but as she sneaks into the bathroom to change, she puts it on without question.

She wraps her hair in small little pigtails, wearing a red shirt that covers her small form, but in a way, flatters her. Amy slips on the sunglasses, before stretching the pants over her thighs.

Then, taking off her infamous boots, she grabs for a pair of sneakers. But she cannot find it in her to let them go. She stuffs them back on, and draws freckles on the bridge of her nose.

When she comes out, she looks completely different. She throws the clothes back into some piles, hoping they will be good for someone else.

When she buys the booster seats they came here for, and by the time she finds where Sonic has cloaked the X-Tornado, she is cold, and bitter about leaving her clothes behind. Sonic helps her into the passenger seat, the twins suckling on their thumbs as they watch. They are halfway into the air when Sonic looks at her.

"Pick up a new wardrobe while you were in there?" And although he says it teasingly, it breaks through Amy like a knife, as she suddenly begins to cry. Sonic reaches out to her. "Amy, what's wrong?"

Though she had been completely strong for the first three hours of their adventure, the realization hadn't hit her till just now. The prophecy, the children, leaving her friends,  
knowing that life would never be the same.

Sonic just holds her as she buries her head in his chest, one hand on the small of her back, and one on the steering wheel. He whispers to her. "It's going to be alright." he tells her. "Please stop crying. Everything will be alright."

She quiets down. Then, the darkness falls from her face. And Sonic finds his breath taken away as she smiles in the way that only belongs to her. Beautiful, dazzling, unique in all the world.

* * *

Sonic cloaks the plane in the cover of the forest, before they approach the hotel with a sign that no longer lights up.

When they ask to rent a room, he pays the manager to keep them a secret. Though he is old and blind, he takes the money and promises. Amy's mouth works around the words. "Thank you for your hospitality," but her own voice coming tense and annoyed.

Sonic smiled still, as he led them to the room. Amy set the twins on the first bed, before joining Sonic, sitting down beside him. She was so tired, he could see it when she looked at him, the skin under her eyes bruised and tender, and the way she seemed smaller than usual. But as he had snuck glances at her in the back seat, she was taking care of those children, as if she couldn't wait to tend to their every need.

"You're experienced with children." he stated, as Amy titled her head to him, blinking those jade eyes as her cheeks turned red. She looked away, clearly not wanting to tell him. Sonic bit his lip. "How do you know so much about children?" he asked, as Amy closed her eyes.

"I...um..."

Nathaniel suddenly jolted awake, screaming, the sudden noise shocked Naomi into frightened tears. Amy sighed, preparing to go to them, when Sonic held her back. "Let me take care of this." he tried, as she sat back, curious. She sat back down, as Sonic sat down on the other bed, grabbing the wailing Nathaniel first. Then, with one free hand, gave Naomi the pacifier.

But his little eyes had seen it first, and soon he was balling. Sonic watched, trying to calm him down. "That's not fair, come on, there's only one pacifier," but he was screaming so loud that he could hear people shuffling underneath them.

Finally, he took it from Naomi, cleaned it off, and handed it to him. But as soon as his little fist had closed around it, he threw it at Sonic's face. Hitting his forehead, it tumbled down onto the floor. Then, Naomi began to cry, hurt by the loss of her little pacifier.

Nathaniel was giggling, clapping his hands and giving Amy that same smile that she loved so much. She suppressed her laughs, watching as Sonic sighed, before giving it to Nathaniel again. And again, all he did was throw it back. Sonic looked at Amy, his eyes wide. "Okay," he squeaked. "I need some help."

Amy giggled. "Sing to him."

"What?"

"He loves music. Sing to him."

"I don't sing."

"Fine." She sighed, getting up and facing Nathaniel, who paused out of wonderment.

Suddenly, she began to clap, before she began to sing. "Sweet little bumble-bee, I know what you want from me. Doo ba doo ba doo da da." The rhythm was upbeat and beautiful as she swayed slightly, elbows on her knees and hands clapping as she bent over in front of the baby.

Amy laughed. "Doo ba doo ba doo da da." To Sonic's amazement, Nathaniel smiled so wide his cheeks turned red, and he began to attempt to clap along with her. "Sweet little bumble-bee, more than just a fantasy. Doo ba doo ba doo da da. Doo ba doo ba doo da da!" she stopped, seeing her work was done.

Nathaniel was clapping along, gurgling out. "Ba ba boo ba boo ba ba!" he giggled out, as she rubbed their noses together. His light giggle filled both of the runaway hedgehog's hearts. Naomi had even stopped crying to listen, and was now trying to clap along with her brother.

Sonic looked at her. "How did you do that?"

"He loves music," she repeated. "No matter what's wrong with him, all you have to do is sing, and he'll be rolling." They were close now, faces almost touching, but Amy turned away sharply, face burning. "Um..." she mumbled. "I can take him, if you want."

Sonic shook his head. "I haven't held him before," he replied as she stared. "Not really."

"How does it feel?"

Sonic looked at the pink maiden, at her soft eyes and silky sakura blossom hair, and was temporarily mesmerized. "It's amazing." he whispered, and let the words fill the gaps in between.

* * *

"Cream?"

The little rabbit turned. "Yes, Tails?" she addressed, politely. The fox looked at her.

"You can't possibly side with everyone else," he reasoned. "You have to be against...all of this."

Cream stared at him for the longest time, before she coolly replied. "I might not find this right," she spoke as if she was trying to convince herself. "But I'd rather be with you, than against you." She blinked, those eyes peering into his.

She was pretty enough; with her whiskey eyes and straight hair, but at that moment she looked tired. She held onto Cheese, her mouth a tight line. "I would never want to make my friends, my enemies."

"But you lost your best friend."

Cream laced her fingers through the fur on her chao. "So did you," she concluded. "And you're still here." She closed her eyes and departed, not allowing herself to cry.

After all, facing the end of the world, she couldn't afford to act like a child.

Not anymore.

* * *

**_A/N: _**Now we're back to azngirlchibi! So... yeah... hope you all liked it. The Queen of Aces lost a lot of sleep over this... she's really tired now... (attempting to guilt people into reviewing)

Ah, just kidding with you.

Thanks for reading!

**Anonymous Reviews: **

**None again... oO**

The Queen of Aces

azngirlchibi


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N:** _The next chapter is finally out! I know! YAY!

As usual, I'll save my blabbing for later.

**EDIT: **I have NO idea what's wrong with my uploader, but it cut out a lot of the dialogue for some reason when I uploaded it, so I had to upload again. Sorry for any confusion.

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

**

* * *

**

**"**_**Heaven bent to take my hand  
Nowhere left to turn  
I'm lost to those I thought were friends  
To everyone I know…"**_

_"Fallen" lyrics by Sarah McLachlan_

* * *

'_Maybe what we're doing is a mistake,' _thought Rouge, so tired that she was surprised she could even think in the first place. _'Maybe this is just one, huge mistake.' _

Rouge buried her head in her hands. She was so tired… but her thoughts wouldn't leave her alone. They chased her in her head over and over again in an endless circle. She could see them in her minds eye – huge, towering shadows that reached out at her, grabbing her wings and yanking her towards them. She would scream and beat at them as hard as she could, but they still wouldn't let go…

The white bat gave a shudder. How had she deteriorated so quickly? How had she – young, confident, smart… _'and maybe just a bit vain,' _she admitted to herself… become such a… a…

_'A…' _Rouge couldn't find a word to describe herself. _'A mess? A wreck?' _Understatements of the year…

The roof of the old motel she was standing on moaned under her light weight, but she ignored it. Knuckles had told her to start searching here, east of where Sonic had been last sighted.

_'The echidna has a very good plan,' _she admitted reluctantly to herself. They had been spread out in the four directions around the globe, and they would work their way towards the center, slowly and painfully tightening the noose around their necks, giving them no chance to escape…

Rouge shuddered again. _'At least, that was how Knuckles had described it. A noose tightening…' _

She hated it. This plan of theirs, the changes, the stupid prophecy… Knuckles had changed the most out of them all.

_'Maybe… maybe that's why I started to change,' _she thought hesitantly. _'Because that stupid, thick-headed echidna did.' _

Suddenly, Rouge felt so _angry _at him. Why was he doing this? She paced around the roof, her legs going faster and faster. He had always been hot-headed, to be sure, but now he had simply gone too far. This wasn't saving the world… this was murder!

_"Argh!" _Rouge screamed in frustration. She punched the door leading to the roof, creating a fist-sized dent. But she didn't stop there. She kept on punching, feeling immense satisfaction at the way the metal door was starting to fold, the way her nails were starting to chip, her knuckles starting to crack, the sharp pain in her fingers, distracting her from the pain in her heart…

_"Knuckles!" _One more furious punch that would've scared even said echidna away, and the door was blown away from it's hinges.

Rouge stopped, breathing heavily, just staring at the dark, yawning space that was left. The satisfaction was already ebbing away, leaving the same, burning pain that ate away at her. After all, what had breaking down the door accomplished?

Rouge tightened her lips. _'Don't cry,' _she thought desperately to herself. _'Think of something else. Anything else. Just breathe… in… out… in…'_

Rouge sniffed. Her ears were ringing from the blow of the last punch, and her throat felt raw from screaming. She must've woken up everyone in the motel by now… but somehow, she didn't care. A small part of her _wanted _someone to come up onto the roof right now, just so she could have an excuse for hurting someone…

"No…" she whispered to herself. Her throat was too hoarse for anything more than a whisper. "I… I won't… I _can't _think like that. This is why Knuckles…"

There. Knuckles's name slipped into her thoughts _again. _

Rouge walked to the edge of the roof, gripping the sides. She contemplated throwing herself over the edge, locking her wings so that she couldn't spread them open and fly away. What would it feel like? Would it hurt when she hit the concrete?

She grimaced. _'No, too messy,' _she decided. She chuckled a bit. It felt good to laugh. She couldn't remember the last time that she had laughed.

_'Oh, Knuckles.' _She sighed to herself. _'What's happened to you? What's happened to me? What's happened to all of us?'_

And as usual, there was no answer. Maybe there was… but she couldn't catch it fast enough. It seemed like the stars would cast their light and cut the answer to shreds before it could reach her.

_'Just like Knuckles,' _Rouge thought._'Something I used to love has changed… and I don't know if I can change them back.'_

* * *

_'I'm dreaming,' _thought Sonic. _'I'm dreaming, but I can't stop it…'_

He could feel his blankets being wrapped around him, but suddenly, they seemed to lift up and become the night sky. A black sky, peppered with red stars.

_'Red stars?' _The pillow underneath him fell away. Grass seemed to grow out from it. _'That can't be right, can it?'_

The stars shivered as if they could hear them. Suddenly, the stars started to fall, setting the grass around him ablaze.

_'Run!' _his mind screamed, but his legs wouldn't move. He could feel the smoke around him, wrapping around his legs and rooting him to the spot. The brightness of the fires captivated him, and he reached out to touch them…

_'Sonic, Sonic!' _he suddenly heard. Was the fire talking to him? _'How could you? How could you do this to us?'_

_'I have to!' _he heard himself shouting back. _'They need me!'_

_'_We_ need you, Sonic!' _The fire was wrapping around him. He could smell his fur being singed and the salt of his tears as the smoke seeped into his eyelids. _'Help us, Sonic! We need you!'_

_'No, let go of me!' _He was kicking, lashing out at the fire, but nothing seemed to work. The more he fought it, the harder it held onto him. _'They need me, they need me!'_

"They need me!" Sonic woke up with a start, and clamped his mouth shut. _'God, was I talking in my sleep?' _He glanced around quickly, but saw that both the babies and Amy were sleeping deeply.

As quietly as he could, he kicked off his tangle of blankets, wincing at the creaky mattress. He crept over to the window, opened it, and easily swung himself to the tree limb that stretched out towards him.

He glanced back again, and saw Amy murmur in her sleep before turning around.

The hedgehog relaxed a bit, deciding to stay out in the tree limb for a little while. The tree was swaying peacefully in the wind. Sonic found the rhythm mesmerizing… but it wasn't enough to keep his mind away from his troubles.

_'This is it. I'm losing my mind, aren't I?' _He heard some bird he didn't know the name of rustle in it's nest above him somewhere, as if agreeing with his thoughts.

Sonic sighed. He rubbed his tired eyes, but he defiantly wasn't going to be getting any sleep again. His mind was too awake for that now. He nose twitched as smells assaulted it – the spiciness of the grass, the strangely sweet aroma of the fast-flowing river. The tree even smelled a little sooty, like the fire in his dream…

Sonic shook his head. What help were his dreams now? They did nothing but add to his worries, and he had more than enough to deal with.

Resting his head in his hands, he let his thoughts wander. It was the only way he knew to solve his problems. Well, that, and running.

_'But that's only _my _way of solving things,' _he thought. _'Wandering and running away is _my _life. Was dragging Amy and Naomi and Nathaniel into this the right thing? Was it really the only way?'_

He thought of all the other things they could've done. He could've tried talking to them. But no, Knuckles was way too bent on killing the babies to be swayed. He could've hidden the babies away. But Knuckles and Rouge were two of the best treasure hunters in the world – how hard could finding the babies have been? He could've threatened them… but with what? Besides, he wasn't like that.

And so, when his options had run dry, he did the only other thing he could – run.

_'And now, we have the whole world after us.' _

The wind whistled a soft tune into his ears. Was it trying to console him? No, that couldn't have been it. He didn't deserve it.

"It's all my fault," he whispered.

"What is?"

The voice shocked him out of his thoughts. He looked up. Amy was staring at him with those emerald-drop eyes of hers. The moon seemed to make her quills sparkle with dust.

Naomi and Nathaniel stared up at Sonic from Amy's arms. They were awake – all of them were awake, just because he was. _'Something else that's my fault,' _thought Sonic.

Sonic looked away. "Nothing," he said.

"Ahh?" Naomi sounded incredulous, as if she didn't believe him. Sonic's heart quickened. Did she understand him?

"Sonic…" Amy's voice was soft, like the music of the wind. She paused. "I think Naomi wants you to hold her."

Naomi held out her hands to him, giggling with delight. The breeze winded through her white quills, and Nathaniel looked at them with fascination, as if wondering what invisible force was making them move.

Sonic swallowed. "I… Amy…"

"What's wrong, Sonic?" she asked, her voice full of concern. The pink hedgehog shifted the two tiny hedgehogs in her arms. She already looked like a mother.

Sonic swallowed again. "Amy… how long are we going to keep running?"

Amy blinked in surprise. Her mouth opened and closed for a few moments, struggling with her words. "Sonic…"

"How long…" continued Sonic, as if he hadn't heard her, "How long can we keep this up?"

Amy was silent for so long that he thought she wouldn't answer. But when she finally did, her voice sounded a bit tentative, as if she was treading across sand. "Until they understand, Sonic."

Sonic shook his head. "What if they never understand? What if they don't _want _to understand?"

Amy smiled a bit at him. Her eyes were sparkling with amusement. "That's okay Sonic. As long as you understand, that's all I'll ever need."

Naomi giggled happily, whether at the wind or at Amy's words he didn't know. But he could feel his heart beating even quicker, the blood running faster in his veins as if he had went around the world more times than he ever had in his life.

"Amy…" he hadn't noticed that he had moved closer to her. "Amy… I…" Amy's eyes had gone wide. When had their faces gotten so close? He could smell her sweet scent, making him feel dizzy.

_'No…' _He suddenly shrank back. _'No, I can't.'_

Instead, he just smiled at her and squeezed her shoulder, leaving sooty, black dust from the tree. "Thanks Amy."

For a second, he saw a flash of emotion in her eyes that he had never seen before, but it was gone before he could find out what it was. "No problem, Sonic." She smiled at him. "What are friends for, right?"

"Yeah… friends…" The strange feeling he had gotten earlier was already ebbing away from his blood. Naomi squeaked when Sonic moved back along the branch, making it bob up and leave a streak of black dust along the walls.

Gently, Sonic took Naomi in his arms, who screeched in delight. She clapped happily when she saw how dizzyingly high they were from the ground, and she rode the waving of the branch as if she had done it all her life. She seemed to grow strong before Sonic's eyes, as if her fragility had been driven away by something he couldn't name.

Sonic smiled. _'I feel like…' _He shook his head. He couldn't even find the words for what he was feeling right now, as he hugged Naomi tighter to his chest. _'I don't know what this feeling is, but…' _He caught Amy's eye, and she smiled at him. _'I've never felt happier in my life.'_

* * *

Shadow watched them silently, the night a perfect cover for his black fur. The little girl's laughter rang in his ears, and he felt something strange rise in his throat. 

_'Regret? Am I regretting my choice?' _Shadow ran a hand through his quills. The wind made them rattle against each other, like they were rustling a drape of midnight sky.

He had known that Tails was lying back at his workshop, and he felt contempt at the way the fox's heart was so soft. Didn't he know that this was the fate of the world he was talking about? Didn't he know that everything they did could alter the coming disaster?

Shadow tightened his lips. Why didn't he just call Knuckles now? He had found them – if they worked quickly enough, they could have all of the captured.

_'It's because…' _Shadow desperately tried not to finish the thought, but to no avail. _'Sonic is my friend.'_

When had this happened? When had Sonic become his friend? Shadow felt a bit of despair at the thought. His emotions could get in the way of his mission, and that was the _last _thing he needed.

_'Pah, pathetic emotions,'_ he thought to himself. The motel wall he was leaning on spat a few brick crumbs at him as it bent slightly under his weight. The river that ran beside the motel lashed out with it's watery fingers at his feet, as if telling him he was wrong.

In a private corner of his mind, he felt himself deflate. Somehow, some way during the time that he had spent with Sonic, he had become his friend. And as corny, disgusting, and against every single bit of his moral fiber that he had built up against it, he had learned the meaning of friendship.

He hadn't been this way once. He hadn't been so revolted at the thought of friendship once, a long time ago, when they sky was always midnight black, when his world had revolved around his friendship with a blue-eyed, sickly girl…

But that had been a long time ago. Too long for him to think about anymore.

He had to harden his resolve. He had to ignore his emotions. He just had to.

_'Pah… pathetic emotions…' _he thought again, but this time, his mind didn't sound as sure as before.

He looked over at Sonic again. _'A friend…' _Shadow bit his lip. No, he couldn't _think _this way.

With every single will of his being, he shoved the thoughts into the innermost, darkest corner of his mind.

_'I will never, ever let my emotions control me like that,' _Shadow thought to himself, slowly walking away. _'Never, ever again.' _

* * *

**_A/N: _**Melancholy, eh? I can't even spell that word... but I gotta stop being so depressing :P 

Anyways, the next chapter might be a bit late coming out - The Queen of Aces hurt her arm. I won't go into the details, though, so ask her if you really, really want to know that badly. Actually, don't. I don't think she wants to be bothered. But yeah... I could keep ranting like this all day, you know? But ugh, I'm just so busy right now. I have no idea what happened to my relaxing summer... (mutters)

So thanks for reading! Hope you've enjoyed it!

**_Anonymous Reviews:_**

**Naetara: **Yeah, the thought of Tails hurting anyone _is _a bit creepy, but you gotta remember that Tails is only 8, and he's already have a lot of responsibilites acting as a hero, so he's probably had to make a lot of choices like that already. Plus, he's like, extremely logical, and it probably made sense to him to get rid of one person for the sake of the entire planet. Anyways, glad you liked it, and thanks for the compliments :P

**Marianne: **YES, I've _definatly _was looking forward to you reviewing :P Don't worry, we'll always have this story going, no matter how lazy (or injured) we get :) Besides, knowing we have someone who'll always read no matter what... well, we can't dissapoint that reader, can we:D Thanks for reviewing, and good luck!

The Queen of Aces

azngirlchibi


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Yeah yeah, I know my last chapter sucked, which is why I decided to make it up to ya'll with this chapter. This very very very, long, chapter. I was listening to 'Mama' by My Chemical Romance when I wrote Cream's part. Yay!

Like azngirlchibi said, I fractured my arm pretty bad. The doctors are mad at me cause I've been swimming and backflipping off of the ledge of the waterfall into my pool. Blugh, spare me. What's life if you don't live a little?

Thankies for the reviews, we do like them. Alright, I'll stop boring you. Here's the chapter.

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**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

**"Suffering also has its worth.  
Through sorrow, pride is driven out  
And pity felt for those who wander in samsara;  
Evil is avoided, goodness seems delightful."**

-Shantideva

Source: The Way of the Bodhisattva: A Translation of the Bodhicharyavatara,  
Page: 81

* * *

Shadow felt better when he got control of his emotions, and he felt his common sense return as he started to turn away. 

He thought this could be a moment between him and the forest, something that never happened, not really. He had just decided his excuse for his delay, when he heard Amy say. "Why don't you go inside Sonic?" she asked, and the blue hedgehog, sensing the same desperation in her voice, had done so. But he took the little boy with him.

Shadow stood, back to her, listening to the sound of the rustling trees and raging river. They stood back-to-back, both of them facing their paths they had chosen. In that moment, his stomach flipped, and he cursed it over and over in his mind.

Finally, the girl who had always belonged to his counterpart, smiled. He could feel it in the air.

He turned at the same time she did. He blinked, realizing with a kind of horror, that she was looking right at him. Into his eyes, as if she knew. Then, it hit him. She did! She was toying with him! As he looked into her eyes, he realized that she had known all along, from the moment she had stepped outside.

Then, her words parted from her mouth, as the corners of her lips tipped up and she revealed a very childish smile.

"Shadow..." she breathed, and every muscle in his body tightened. He felt his heart lurch forward, as he fought the expression of surprise that was trying to take over his face.

Then, she turned away, starting to walk back into the room. He watched her. Had he been mistaken? Did she just happen to look at him by mistake? He took a step closer, mesmerized by this girl who was beautiful and outrageous and unlike anything he had ever seen.

Suddenly, she stopped. And she tilted her head back to him, the moonlight making her face glow. He gasped silently, knowing now that she knew. Then, with that same silly smile still intact, she gave him a playful wink. Then, she vanished back into the room, leaving him with feelings that he could not begin to control.

* * *

Three Months Later... 

Despite the fact that they were now the most wanted criminals in history, Amy Rose felt a sense of normalcy begin to return after three months flew by.

Even now, as they loaded up the ship to find another place to hide, it became almost a routine, to stay in a new place every other day, narrowly avoiding the jaws of death. It was almost ordinary to wake up and feel Sonic sleeping next to her, and even more odd, she was used to shopping at second rate stores for their clothing. She was used to eating junk food as they dodged air turbulence, and she was most certainly used to the idea of death.

Which, was why, on their third month anniversary, she bought a brand new digital camera. She had been taking so many pictures Sonic thought that she was trying to create her own movie.

But, when he had asked, she had simply tilted her head and smiled at him, saying. "Well, who knows if we'll even be alive for another month? After all, we made it this far. But that's not to say I won't be killed tomorrow!" then, she had flashed a picture of his sad frown, giggling and moving on.

"You shouldn't talk like that." he had replied, bitterly. Amy had simply shrugged and snapped a picture of Nathaniel in his brand new baseball hat.

Amy began to live life the way that only a dying person would. She began to savor precious memories, like the feel of Nathaniel's cheek as it brushed against her lips. Or the smell of baby shampoo, as Naomi splashed around in the water, sitting in between her knees as she giggled. Both of their bodies' slick with soap and water, she had taken pictures of those moments, too, but of course kept them to herself.

Nathaniel never liked the water, and it always took both of them to be able to calm him down after they had to wash his hair. She made herself remember the places they visited, and the people they met. She wrote things down in a small black book, as well as the moments that she had not been able to catch on film.

Nathaniel and Naomi had grown so much. The newborn white of their quills had faded away and had been replaced by a beautiful forest green color. Naomi's were styled in a tumble of adorable curls, while Nathaniel's hair was a wild mess that only made him cuter.

Their faces had filled out, and they were starting to crawl, requiring her to keep a constant watch less they go into places they shouldn't. While Naomi was proving to be a slow, cautious child, Nathaniel had already tried to roll over and was determined to cause as much trouble as possible.

"Amy?" Sonic called, loading the last suitcase into the trunk. "We're ready to go."

Amy smiled. She would have to write down that when the sunshine hit his face just right; his eyes matched the tops of the trees that surrounded them.

"Can we stay for just a bit longer?" she asked, holding the camera in her hand. "It's actually sunny today. I made a lunch big enough for all of us." her eyes began to glisten. "Just another hour or two. It's such a beautiful day."

Sonic gave an amused laugh. "You know, sometimes I think you forget that we're supposed to be on the run." But then, her eyes took on a hurt look. And her lower lip began to tremble as tears pricked the corners of her eyes.

Damn, she always pulled that face on him. The one she knew he could never resist, not even if he tried. He sighed. "Well, I guess it couldn't hurt..." he paused. "And, I do love your cooking..."

So, they set up a blanket in the middle of a clearing, she laid out all the things she made. While Amy fed Nathaniel small bits of mashed potatoes, Sonic held Naomi high enough so that she tried to walk. Her footsteps were light, and she took about three steps before she became uncomfortable and wanted to be back on the ground again.

As she nibbled on a piece of a dinner roll, Sonic stared at Amy. "Why is it that you always get Nathaniel, and I get Naomi?"

Amy stopped her cooing long enough to reply. "I don't know." Then, she looked at him. "Why, do you want to hold him?" she asked, and as Sonic looked at the boy's face, he could have sworn the child gave him a coy look. Sonic jumped, was he getting paranoid? Was he really afraid of a three month old?

He shook his head, and they ate in silence until Amy finally spoke. "Are we ever going to talk about it?"

"About what?" Sonic asked, looking up from his current gaze on Naomi.

Amy took a spoonful of ice cream and ate most of it off, before giving the rest to Nathaniel. "About Shadow." she whispered, and Sonic blinked in surprise.

She took one look at his face, and she gasped. "You mean, you don't know?" she asked, as the blue hedgehog raised an eyebrow and shook his head. Amy instantly shrunk back. "Oh, then never mind." she dismissed the conversation completely, face beat red. Sonic thought about this before he cried out in panic.

"Amy, are you in love with Shadow?"

"Drop it." Amy shot back, her voice edgy.

Unfortunately, the blue hedgehog took this as a yes, and he felt his heart break in despair. His face crumbled, his eyes hurt and his quills and ears hanging low. Amy did not notice over the pounding in her ears.

Did he not know that Shadow had saved them? That almost three months ago, he had caught them, but miraculously let them go? Had he not sensed him, too? Amy frowned in thought. How had he not heard the rustle of leaves as the black hedgehog announced his departure?

Amy sighed. Better he didn't know, she decided, before snapping out of her daze and lifting Nathaniel to the light. The sunshine radiated off of him, as Nathaniel clapped his hands and giggled. His miniature sports outfit was completed by the cutest little pair of Nikes.

"Nathaniel, what sound does a dog make?" she asked, delighted when his little face scrunched up and his lips pursed tight.

"Gur." he almost growled out. "Gur."

Sonic chuckled, forgetting his earlier despair. In his arms, Naomi giggled and clapped her hands. Now that her hair was getting long, Amy had been able to put in a little bow that matched the navy blue dress she had bought her. He looked at Naomi and noted that as he hugged her, she smelled just liked Amy. Of course, he knew why.

He blushed, wondering what happened to the pictures Amy had taken of herself and Naomi. Not that he wanted to see them, he was just curious. Knowing Amy, they were probably in the last place he would ever look.

Though he would never admit it, bath time with Nathaniel was one of his favorite times of the day. Mostly because afterwards, he would get to watch Amy hold the little boy, giggling past the soap bubbles in her hair as they admired a job well done.

But of course, it was nothing compared to the mornings. When he would wake up to her sleeping form next to his. As strange as it was, Amy had never made a big deal out of sleeping in the same bed, and so neither did he. She acted as if it were the most natural thing in the world, as if nothing could ever happen. Even stranger, he noticed that his terrifying dreams were often cured by getting closer to her.

Sometimes, when he was sure she was sound asleep, he got close enough to smell the baby lotion she put on after applying it on the twins. Once, his mind had gotten the better of him, and he had rested his forehead on her spine.

He had fallen asleep that way and barely woke up in time to cover up his actions. Though he would never tell anyone, he loved the way her body sunk into each mattress they slept on. How she rested her weary head on her forearms, hair spread out on the pillow as she breathed softly.

Her hair had gotten long, scraping past her shoulders. While nights were weary and long, she was always energetic. Even more so than usual. On the darkest days, she was happy enough for the both of them.

He loved the way she knew what he needed. He liked the way she sung to Nathaniel, ranging from low and deep to fast and upbeat. It was the only remedy for him after bath time. He came to await the next opportunity to hear the infamous lullaby she and Nathaniel loved so much. "Bye and bye," she would sing. "The moon is half a lemon pie."

Naomi loved music too, but not nearly so much as her brother. Though, he came to realize that she was in love with heights. Even though she was cautious in everyday things, it was obvious, the way her eyes brightened as they would soar higher into the sky.

Amy broke his train of thoughts. "Sonic! Look! Hurry!" The blue hedgehog, carrying Naomi, made his way to her. When he sat down next to her, she lifted Nathaniel into his face, eyes shining.

As she stuck her finger into the babies' mouth, he opened wide and Sonic could see that his gums were white and tender. Past the pink skin, he could faintly see the tooth underneath, waiting for the chance to burst free. Amy awed. "He'll be teething soon."

Nathaniel's odd eyes began to shine as he clicked his tongue. Naomi reached for her brother, as her hand brushed against the line of his jaw. "Ah!" she giggled. "Baboo."

Amy nodded. Then, her shoulders sagged. "I wish they were here to see this." she whispered, turning her head and nuzzling his arm with her soft face.

He smiled at the joy he felt, that he didn't have to share these moments with anyone else. Just him and Amy, it was enough to make him rest his cheek on the crown of her head, ignoring the pounding of his heart. Both of the children relaxed, and Sonic realized that he was once again, more or less, a part of a family.

Finally, he confessed. "I wish we could stay like this forever."

Suddenly, Amy seemed to shrink away from him. As if his words had displeased her. "Yeah, well," she turned away, parting away from him and biting her lip. "We all wish things."

* * *

Lately, Rouge felt that her mother was not in fact as dead as she knew she was. 

For she could hear the voice, as sure as she always was. Her mind had been recalling memories that she had long since tucked away. Her mother had not been a bat, but a mongoose, of all things. She had married a bat, and given birth to Rouge. Who was, and not quite, her own person.

She remembered her mother's face. Her eyes caked with her favorite sapphire blue eyeliner, and long fake eyelashes that she wore everywhere. Even to go outside to get the mail. She even wore them on her husband's funeral, days after her birth.

She thought of her mother's scent, the smell of all her skin care creams, which made her bronze skin flawless and beautiful. Lately, she could feel the touch of her mother, tracing the bones in her hands as she whispered against her skin. Metacarpals, she had named them as she moved over them, Radius, Ulna...Her mother had married a scientist, while she herself had been a poet.

Rouge remembered her mother's questions.

'Why do bats like the darkness? Rather than the light? Why do they prefer to spend their time in the one place most people fear? Dark, light, the difference is stark and constantly contrasting.'

"Because dark is a way," Rouge spoke out loud. Answering her mother's question ten years later. "And light is a place." she ran a finger over her soft tan cheek. "Because light is death, in retrospect. Because death comes with light and most of us aren't ready to die."

"Did you say something Rouge?"

Rouge turned to the startled echidna. "No, Knuckie," she blinked. "Nothing important."

"You've been awful quiet lately."

"You talk enough for the both of us." Rouge shot back, just wanting to be left alone with her memories. Even if they weren't pleasant, they were more tolerable than the present. The red echidna could not help the frown that appeared on his face.

"Are you against me, too?"

She knew the answer. "No." she whispered. "You just want to live." she closed her eyes. "Anyone can understand that." she comforted him, because she loved him and the thought of being against him sent her heart to breaking. But suddenly he was looking into her eyes and holding her close.

"I'm not doing this for myself. Damn it all to hell if I kill two children just for my sake." he seemed tired, she wanted to know why. Knuckles gritted out. "I could not stand to be responsible for your death."

The passion in his voice was obvious. "Why?" she questioned, begging him to say it.

He grinned. "You know why." he leaned in and caught her mouth. Suddenly she understood, and she cried, because it was a relief to know. And to be in tune with it.

'I'm afraid.' she realized. 'I'm afraid of the light. And you will be the one to save me from it.' she cried while he touched her face to wipe away her tears. 'The only one who wants to save me.'

* * *

"The moon is half a lemon pie," Amy continued, Nathaniel cooed as twisted his hand through her wet and dripping hair. "The mice who stole the other half, have scattered crumbs in the sky." she kept singing, as Nathaniel hummed the beat with her, chuckling as his sister watched in Amy's wet arms. 

"Bye and bye, bye and bye." Naomi reached over and tapped Nathaniel's arm. Amy sighed. "My darling don't you cry. The soft clouds gather in the sky."

Her singing was cut short as a knock interrupted her thoughts. Thinking it was Sonic, she squeaked and set the twins down, rushing to replace her bathrobe with something more decent. When she had slipped on a nightgown that wasn't covered in baby puke, she opened the door.

Only to find that no one was there.

Instead, a small package had been left in front of their hotel room, decorated beautifully in a whole rainbow of colors. Amy unwrapped the gift, knowing the manager of the hotel, a sentimental old woman, had taken the time to buy her a gift.

The woman had fallen in love ever since they got here two days ago; she had kissed the little twins and replied happily, almost singing. "Congrad-o-lations new mommy! Be sure to let me baby-sit them if you need me to!"

Amy laughed, as she saved the pretty red bow, and carefully undid the wrapping paper, before lifting the box.

There was an envelope inside, but the main gift was a rather large book entitled: The Mother's Guide to Baby Success! Amy chuckled, she had seen this award-winning book all over the front page one day, five star rated and recommended for any mother of any age.

Of course, back then, she had simply amused the idea, before moving onto the section about her famous blue hero's latest news. Now, it seemed so odd, she didn't think she'd ever have to read this book. Even now, she felt uncomfortable about being called a mother. It was a strange feeling that she tried to avoid.

Still, it was such a nice thought, and she could use some tips. Especially lately. She sighed, sitting down on the bed while Nathaniel sucked his thumb. Amy had barely gotten any sleep last night, instantly awakening at their slightest cry. They were teething, in a lot of pain no doubt. Luckily, Tylenol had worked wonders.

But solving the pain did not stop the crying. There were so many reasons for a baby to cry, to be changed, to be held, to be fed, to be sung to. Sonic had tended to them once, but he needed to drive the plane, and could not afford to be up all night.

Despite his protests, she had forced him to stay back and let her do all the work. Amy sighed and opened the book, looking at the introduction: _Sleeping all through the night! How to keep your little dumpling snoozing all through their little nappy-nappy!_

"All through the night?" Amy awed. "Three hours would be good enough for me." Nathaniel began to wail as Naomi started to whimper. With her free hand, she handed Naomi her beloved pacifier, and then picked up Nathaniel and settling him in the crook of her arm.

She gave him her index finger to grasp before turning the page with the same free hand. _'Hello mother,_' the text read, _'I am going to tell you the key to keeping your baby happy. If your baby cries often and seems generally onry, he might keep you up all through the night.'__  
_  
"Nathaniel." Amy responded to the book, as the little boy seemed to give a grin. _'Now, what do you think keeps both people, and little dumplings happy?'_

Amy blinked. "A fresh diaper?" she guessed with a giggle as she turned the page.

_'Why, routine, darling, it's all about routine.' _Amy pursed her lips in confusion, but decided to keep going.

_'Think about it, how would you like it if you didn't know when you would be fed next? If you woke up not knowing what time it was? Or when you were going to take your next nap? Or when your mother would decide to have some private time to herself, hm? You would be a grouchy-pants, and rightfully so! This is why they are unhappy. On the next page, you will learn step-by-step, how to set up a fool-proof schedule that will keep your little honey-bee as happy as a ray of sunshine!'_

A routine, huh? Amy thought about the idea. It made sense, she supposed, and just because they were on the run, didn't mean she couldn't be organized. After all, she had slept until two yesterday, the lunch Sonic had made for her stale and old sitting on the nightstand beside her bed. A routine could be just what she needed.

And maybe she and Sonic could both get involved.

The thought made her blush, as Nathaniel began to hum and kick his legs. Licking her finger, she turned to the next page and became lost in the words. Amy didn't even hear the door open, revealing Sonic, cheeks flushed from the rushing wind of his morning run.

He looked to see Amy, hair wet and falling in waves, holding onto Nathaniel. Her eyes were crinkled and her face was scrunched up cutely in concentration, it was enough to make his heart melt.

Amy then sighed, looking up to see Sonic, and her whole face burned with mortification. Especially holding a book in her arms that re-named her as a mother. She had been concentrating on the picture beside the graphs and plans and recommendations. The author had been smiling with a beaming baby in her arms, her eyes had been so warm, a no-nonsense brown color that had Amy immediately remembering Vanilla.

She closed the book, jade eyes looking up. "Oh..." she smiled. "Hello."

But Sonic had already seen the cover. "Baby success?" he questioned with the smallest of grins. "Did they address the whole: destroying the universe issue?"

Amy stood up, setting Nathaniel down. She looked excited, enough to make his  
lungs constrict.

"Well," she set her hands on her hips in her own impersonation of her new tutor. Then, she hardened her face like hers had been in the picture. "That's not a nice addy-tood!" she managed to say with a straight face, before it caved in and she was soon giggling, making Sonic fight his chuckle down. Somehow Amy always had a way of cheering him up.

Finally, he broke down and gave her a smile.

"What's with the book, anyway?"

Amy looked up, before grabbing Naomi and swinging her lightly. "Hotel manager. Isn't that just the sweetest thing? Poor woman, she's too blind to even tell that she's helped out the world's most infamous pair of twins." She said it with a bit of bitterness, but as soon as Naomi smiled, her face was chipper once more.

Then, she yawned. This did not go unnoticed.

"Why don't I watch the twins?" Sonic asked, hopeful. "Just for a few minutes, you look so tired."

"I was just in the middle of making the babies a regular routine." Amy yawned again, rubbing her eye with her free hand. "It's sworn to make happier babies."

"How about, I read the book," Sonic offered, holding out his arms. "And you take a nap."

"I'm not tired." Amy replied, but she handed him Naomi anyways. Then, she sat on the bed. "I'm not going to be able to go to sleep."

Within twenty minutes, however, she was deep in dreamland. Cheek rested on her arms and legs curled tight underneath her.

Sonic smiled, his eyes sparkling, before draping a blanket over her. He watched her face, that same goofy smile plaguing his own. "Night, Amy." he laughed, before looking to see that Nathaniel was asleep too. Sonic carried the twins onto the other bed, before reading the section that read: Feeding and Nappy-Nappy!

As Naomi played with a small stuffed animal that they'd gotten for five dollars, Sonic sighed, feeling more at peace than he had on his morning run. In fact, he nuzzled Naomi as she giggled, he felt over-joyous.

Better than he had when life had been normal, as though this lifestyle was more like a fun adventure. Sonic stared, before deciding that God was telling him to stop his useless wandering. And use that time, to spend with Amy, and the children.

* * *

"Mama." Cream whispered as she approached her mother. "Please, Mama." 

Her mother did not speak. Ever since she heard about the entire thing, she had completely disowned her. Now, her days were spent ignoring her daughter and the rest of the world. Her mother had not looked at her in months. Cream could not begin to describe the despair in her heart.

She watched her mother knit, a pair of socks, the color of her eyes. The ones that were the same color as her own. Cream watched her mother's still face, never before had she been so cruel. Lately, she took to eating and sleeping with the Chaotix, leaving Cream by herself. Even Cheese didn't look her in the eye anymore.

Didn't they understand, she wondered, that she didn't have a choice? That she would either be against them, or killed by her own friends. Cream set out the plate of sugar cookies, a small apology, as she began to leave. Then, having a mind of her own, she spoke lowly. "Mother. If you loved me, you would want me to live."

Suddenly, her mother was standing up, and she was on the floor. Cream was outside herself, but as she touched her burning cheek, she did not feel the pain.

Vanilla growled. "Don't you dare say I don't love you!" Tears were streaming from her own eyes. "I gave up the man I loved, for you. I gave up my entire way of life for you. And in the end, you've turned out exactly like your father." she spat, not hatefully, but out of anger.

Cream stood up, but she was past feeling sorry for herself. "That's not my fault, Mama!" she screamed. "No one told you to do all those things! It was your decision!"

She stomped past her mother. "I'm going to stay with Tails." she muttered on her way out. "At least he understands." she slammed the door with a surprising force.

Vanilla watched her daughter leave. Hours later she was still in the same spot, waiting for the world to stop turning. Hadn't it already? Maybe she was already in hell, it seemed fit. Vanilla sighed.

'No one told you to do all of those things!' her daughter had said. 'That was your decision!'

Her answer came in a soft whisper. Because she understood Amy better than anyone else. Because she knew the meaning of sacrifice.

She closed her soft brown eyes. "Yes, it was my decision." she concluded. "And the best one I ever made." On the couch, Cheese was sleeping. Vanilla touched the chao, the only trace left of her little girl.

"Chao..." Cheese whispered.

Vanilla breathed. "The best decision I ever made." she repeated, before she paused and swallowed. "Oh, Cream," she spoke as if her daughter could hear. "Cream...even now..." she concluded. "You were worth it."

* * *

"Amy," Sonic whispered as he rolled over to face her still form. "Are you awake?" 

Her voice was tired, groggy. "Yeah?" she questioned, turning over to face him. She was wearing a baggy t-shirt, the one the color of her hair. She rubbed her eye cutely, before yawning. "What is it?"

"Are you mad at me?"

She looked at him. "Why would I be mad at you?" she asked, clearing her throat.

"Because it's all my fault." Sonic murmured as Amy raised an eyebrow. "It's my fault we have to live like this."

Amy jumped back. Then, a look passed over her face. "Like this?" she questioned. Was there hurt in her voice? Then, her face hardened. "Don't be so vain." she hissed. "I would have run away without you. I would have done it all by myself." then, she turned away from him. "Go to sleep."

Sonic felt offended, but he felt guilt and hurt more than anything. And it took all his willpower to ignore how silky smooth her skin looked. "Amy..."

Amy buried her face into her arm and concentrated on slowing her breathing. When he seemed to be tricked, he tip-toed out of the room, no doubt to gather his thoughts. Once he left, Amy noticed Naomi was starting to whimper. Amy took her and led her to the other bed. While Sonic was contemplating, Amy and Naomi were left alone to dream.

* * *

**_A/N: _**Back to azngirlchibi :) I'm not feeling all too well right now... apparantly, I might have developed slight insomia (a medical condition where you can't fall asleep and/or have difficulty doing so). It's very light though (I hope), but I'm kinda tired most of the time. Also, something weird is happening to the structure of my bones, and I don't mean like, I look like a cripple weird, but like, my bones are a little disproportioned. It's not bothering my writing, but it's not exactly helping me lighten up my mood either :P

Ah, whatever. I'll get over it :P

Thanks for reading!

**_Anonymous Reviews:_**

**Marianne: **LOL, I'm a teddy bear? That's gotta be the most original compliment (which I hope it was :P) I've ever heard. Anyways, you're not the only SonAmy freak, so relax :P SonAmy freaks unite!


	8. Chapter 8

**_A/N: _**Hey, a new chapter is here from us to you! We hope you like it... Shadow makes a reappearance! Good thing... or bad? (corny dramatic music in the background)

Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

**"**_**I have been a witness to the perfect crime  
I wipe the grin off of my face to hide the blame  
It isn't worth the tears you cry to have a perfect alibi  
Now I'm beaten at the hands of my own game."**_

_-"Let it Rain" lyrics by Amanda Marshall_

* * *

The first thing Amy noticed when she turned over in her bed was that it felt emptier than usual. She gently extended her hand over and patted it without opening her eyes. _'That's not right…' _she thought. _'It's empty…'_

Amy opened her eyes. Sunlight was streaming in through the open window, making her squint. Naomi whimpered in her arms and tossed fitfully. Amy smiled gently, stroking the little girl's hair, and she seemed to calm down.

But for some reason, the pink hedgehog still felt terrible. She felt… separated, like she had just forcefully torn out a piece of herself. She got up sleepily, avoiding the peaceful baby.

She glanced at the empty space beside her, and felt a pang. She remembered.

_"Don't be so vain. I would have run away without you…"_

Amy bit her lip. Why had she said that? And why had she spat those words with so much venom… so much hate… at Sonic? Sonic, who had given up the rest of his life for her? Sonic who had thrown away his friends without a second thought… just for her?

_'Well… it's true, isn't it? I would've run away all by myself…'_

Nathaniel yawned at turned over in his sleep. She walked over and picked him up, putting him beside his sister. Nathaniel seemed to smile as Naomi snuggled closer.

Amy smiled softly. She loved it how Nathaniel and Naomi loved each other, even though they were so different. Nathaniel, with his pupil-less eyes and his love for trouble, and Naomi with her fragility and exhilaration for heights – they were so different, and yet there was a connection between them that she couldn't describe.

_'It's more than what Sonic and I will ever have,' _she thought sadly, staring at the empty space in her bed that Sonic would usually be occupying. _'Much, much more.'_

The door suddenly creaked. Amy looked over, and saw Sonic walk in.

He didn't look at her. His steps were slow, and they stirred up the dust that settled like a second skin over the carpet. Sonic glanced at the twins once, smiled briefly, and opened the closet door.

"Sonic…" said Amy, trying to catch his eye. But Sonic didn't even answer her. He opened a suitcase – his own suitcase, and started packing.

Amy felt both hurt and anger. She knew that they had an argument, but that didn't mean that he should ignore her! "Sonic…" she tried again, her voice starting to shake. "What are you doing?"

"Packing," said Sonic. He still didn't look at her. "We're leaving today, remember?"

Amy felt the hurt spread across her chest like a darkening bruise. "Sonic… look, about last night…"

Sonic made a strange sound in the back of his throat, as if he didn't want to talk about it. "Amy, you don't need to apologize. You're right, okay? I'm sorry that I… that I…"

"Sonic…" Amy walked over. She sat on the edge of the bed, as close as she dared to be with Sonic. "You don't even know what you're apologizing _for…"_

Sonic kept packing – a few shirts, a pair of socks, a packet of food, all thrown into his suitcase in his usual haphazard way. Was it just her, or did they seemed to hit the bottom of the suitcase a little harder than usual?

"Then what do you want me to do?" he asked her. "If I don't know what I'm apologizing for… then do you?"

Amy suddenly felt her anger spark at the hurt. "Who said I was going to apologize?" she snapped at him. She bit her tongue – that wasn't what she wanted to say! But she felt the spark of anger rage into a fire that burned away at the hurt.

"Then…" said Sonic, getting up and snapping the suitcase shut. He moved onto Nathaniel's. "What did you want to say?"

Amy's hand gripped onto the bed sheets. _'Don't get mad…' _she warned herself. She took a deep breath. "I just wanted to say that… it's true, what I said yesterday. I _would've _just run away on my own, with or without you."

She paused, trying to collect her thoughts. Sonic was still moving around as he packed. A tiny pair of shoes landed in the case with a pair of socks stuffed inside. A baby bottle was thrown on top, followed by a package of tissues, half empty.

"It's just that… I'm grateful that you're here with me. I'm glad that… I'm glad that you've been here to help me along the way…"

Her voice trailed off. How empty her words sounded! But they were true words… even if it felt like the emotions had been drained out of them.

"Well, why didn't you leave on your own when you could?" Sonic threw a watch inside the suitcase. Amy winced as the watch's face was scratched against the baby bottle. "You probably could've done better than me…"

Amy stiffened. "How so?"

"I can't help you at all," answered Sonic. He closed Nathaniel's suitcase, and went onto Naomi's backpack. A bottle of baby powder was swallowed by the bag. "I can't take care of the babies like you do. I can't change their diapers, or give them a bath, or even feed them without your help."

He grabbed a package of diapers. "I can't sing to them – not the way you do," he continued. "And I attract much more attention then you do, even if I _do _dye my fur, or changed my voice, or stopped…. Stopped running."

His voice faltered at the last part, and even Amy knew why. Running was his life – he couldn't stop it if he wanted to.

"Then why did you come with me?" she asked softly. Sonic faltered and dropped the backpack. Amy stooped to pick it up and handed it to him. He took it without a word of thanks… and he still didn't look at her directly.

"I don't know." There was the sound of a zipping backpack. "But it might have been a mistake."

Amy felt stung at those words. The hurt started to spread again, making her chest feel too tight. She swallowed the tears that suddenly flooded up her throat, and bit her lip to stop it from quivering. "Are you regretting your choice?"

Sonic tucked the two backpacks under his left arm, and grabbed the suitcase with his right. He walked to the door, and suddenly stopped.

Amy saw his two eyes stare at hers, and the tears broke through. She could feel them, warm and wet as they slid silently down her cheeks. She wished that she would wail. She wished that she would cry out in despair, or gasp, or make any noise. But she couldn't – and all Sonic did was stare.

Silently, he walked out.

Amy collapsed onto the bed and buried her head in her hands. He still hid his emotions from her… he was still a closed book, a book that she wanted to read so badly, but couldn't open.

The babies stared at her, wide-eyed. She saw that their little hands were holding each other's in a tight fist.

_'Why can't we be like them?' _she thought. She picked the two up, and still, they never lost their grip on each other.

"Nathaniel… what am I doing wrong?" she asked the little boy. The little boy just looked back at her, his face blank… or maybe there was just a tinge of sympathy behind the look.

She turned to Naomi. "Naomi…" The little girl grabbed a small lock of Amy's hair with her free hand, and looked expectantly up at her. Amy nuzzled her face. "Am I doing something wrong?"

She shook her head. _'I don't understand him… but he doesn't understand me either…' _She set the two hedgehogs down gently. _'We're hurting each other…' _She felt herself tear up again, but she refused to let them fall. _'Maybe I'm starting to regret too…' _

The room felt emptier than ever.

* * *

Sonic's feet dragged along the ground. He had been doing that a lot lately, as if an invisible weight had settled onto his shoulders. And he felt it increase even more after his conversation with Amy… if you could even call it a conversation.

_'Amy must hate me now…' _His thoughts trailed. He heard a door slam somewhere, and he wrinkled his nose at the smell of mold and dust coming from the walls.

His whole body felt heavy. He had never worried so much – in fact, he couldn't even remember worrying at all before in his life. It made him feel tired, and even the feeling of the wind against his face hadn't helped.

But Amy must be as tired as he was, right? He could see it, as much as she tried to hide it. He felt a painful jolt of guilt as he opened the door. The sun was shining brightly, the sky a clear blue, completely opposite to the way he felt now.

_'She gave up _everything _for Nathaniel and Naomi.' _The suitcase's wheels scraped against the gravelly sidewalk as he pulled it to where he had hidden the plane. _'… And in a way… so did I.' _The gravelly sound was replaced by the rustling of grass. _'Nathaniel… Naomi… Amy…'_

He closed his eyes for a second as he remembered her voice.

_"Are you regretting your choice?"_

He opened his eyes. Was he already in front of the plane? It hadn't taken as long as he remembered.

He heard a scraping sound, then the falling footsteps against the grass.

Shadow.

For a while, they did nothing but stare. Sonic hid his surprise and fear. _'If Shadow's here… then what if…?'_

And as if he read his thoughts, Shadow shook his head. "I'm the only one here."

Sonic raised an eyebrow. "I'm glad that I have a welcoming committee, then," he said, his voice mixed with a bit of mockery. "If you're not helping me pack, then would you mind moving?"

And to his surprise, Shadow moved.

Sonic walked forward cautiously. Shadow noticed it. "Need help with the luggage?" he asked, as if it was everyday that you met a runaway criminal who was essentially one of your few friends.

"No, I can handle it." Sonic popped open the trunk of the plane and picked up the suitcase first.

"Hmph, I suppose you think you can handle anything, don't you?"

Sonic didn't turn to look at him. He threw the suitcase in. "Yes, I suppose so," he answered as lightly as possible.

There was a moment of tense silence between the two rivals. Sonic imagined it as a clear piece of glass, waiting to be shattered or snapped in two.

He heard the hedgehog sigh. His ear flicked towards it, the only sign of his surprise. He had never heard the black hedgehog sound so exhausted before.

"Sonic, you're a wreck."

Sonic turned around, giving him a cool look. The hedgehog looked at him intensely, his eyes boring into his. _'Well, let him try!' _thought Sonic with a fierce moment of defiance.

"You can't keep doing this, Sonic," he continued. He sounded a bit urgent. "You know you can't run forever, especially with Amy and those two babies with you…"

"Nathaniel and Naomi."

Shadow stared at him. "What?"

"They have names, Shadow." His voice was mocking again, and Shadow felt a surge of exasperation and anger. "Nathaniel is the boy, and Naomi is the girl."

Shadow opened his mouth to speak, but Sonic cut him off. "You're been following us for a while, haven't you?"

Shadow looked away, confirming Sonic's suspicions. "How did you know?" he asked.

Sonic shrugged and turned his attention back to packing. "A bit of black fur there, some air-shoe sounds there. You have to be alert to this sort of stuff when you're on the run, you know?"

Shadow was quiet for a moment. "Why didn't you say anything – "

"To Amy?" Sonic shrugged again. "Didn't want to worry her."

Shadow looked at Sonic's back and felt a surge of anger. _'Stupid hedgehog!' _he wanted to scream. _'Are you trying to kill yourself? Are you trying to kill us all? The least thing you need to think about is Amy worrying!'_

"Anyways," said Sonic, bringing him out of his thoughts. He snapped the trunk shut, and turned to face him. "As much as I love our conversation, you didn't come out of hiding just to talk to me, right? So what can I do for you?"

Did he even have to ask? The answer was so obvious. Sonic resisted the urge to spit the words right back at his face. "You need to give the babies to us, Sonic," Shadow replied.

"Uh-huh." Sonic leaned on the plane. "And you _are _aware by now that I'm not going to actually hand them over to you, right?"

Shadow shrugged, surprising Sonic. "That's alright. You're going to have to hand them over to us willingly some day anyway."

"What makes you think that?" he asked, his voice tensing. Shadow felt a rush of malicious joy at the thought of angering Sonic.

"Do you honestly think that you can go on taking care of them like this?" He watched carefully as Sonic shifted his position slightly. "Always on the run, just barely being able to live? Would those two actually _like _growing up, knowing that they're the two most wanted creatures on the planet?"

"I think it's better to be the most wanted on the planet then dead, Shadow," Sonic answered.

Shadow's face hardened. "Don't be selfish, Sonic," he snapped back. "That's only your opinion. They'll grow up with the guilt of knowing that they're causing their parents grief."

"They're not," replied Sonic, but he didn't sound so sure.

"It's not true just because you say it is, Sonic," said Shadow. The strange, new joy grew as he saw Sonic tense even more. "They'll know that the only reason that they are alive is to destroy the world. They know that every creature they meet, every being that they hold dear will die, all because of them."

Shadow was on the ground before he could even blink. His face was smarting angrily, and Sonic was looming over him with his fist raised, his face darkened by rage.

Shadow smirked at him. He found that he _enjoyed _angering Sonic. He liked knowing that he was the cause of his anger, that he had pushed Sonic to the point of punching him.

"Don't you _dare _say that about Nathaniel and Naomi," Sonic hissed, his eyes two burning points of bright, green fire.

Shadow looked up at him. "It's the truth, Sonic. And well all have to face it someday."

He rolled out of the way just in time. Where his head used to be was a small, fist-sized dent in the earthy ground.

Sonic clenched his hands, his knuckles showing through as they turned whiter than his gloves. "Shadow…" he advanced on him as his black counterpart got up a bit painfully. "You will _not _lay a hand on any of them!"

"Why? Just because you say so?" Shadow returned.

Shadow couldn't dodge the next attack. The wind was knocked out of him as Sonic's foot connected with his stomach. He shook off the pain in time to catch the fist that was aimed towards his face.

With all his strength, he pushed Sonic back. Shadow felt a slight trill of panic. He hadn't meant to get him _this _mad. He just wanted to anger him enough that he… that he…

_'That he… what?' _He hadn't even thought about Sonic's limit...

Shadow swung himself left to dodge another flying fist. He tried to deliver his own, but Sonic caught it with fearful ease. He twisted it behind Shadow, making him gasp slightly in pain.

"At least," Sonic hissed again, this time in his ear, "I'm not the one running away and hiding from my emotions!"

Shadow flinched, his ears ringing from the words. _'How did he know?' _

Sonic laughed a bit. "What, you don't think any of us noticed? All those times you almost cried, all those times you almost laughed, only to become the emotionless shell you are before you could experience them? You don't deserve our friendship!" he spat.

Shadow kicked backwards. Somehow, his left heel found it's way into Sonic's stomach, leaving him clutching the grass while he backed away a little, the blood roaring in his ears. _'That's not true… you're wrong!' _he wanted to shout back at him. But they sounded empty, even in his own mind.

Sonic got up slowly. "Well, Shadow?" he asked. "Where has this gotten you?" He breathed heavily, as if his outburst had taken all his energy to say.

Suddenly, the black hedgehog's face darkened with anger. "This isn't the time, Sonic!"

Sonic laughed at him openly. "Oh, so anger is the only emotion good enough for Shadow the Hedgehog? Not joy, or sadness, but anger?"

Shadow growled, about to charge.

_"Stop it!"_

The two hedgehogs froze. Sometime during all their fighting, Amy had stopped at the edge of where they were standing, her suitcase in hand, Nathaniel in one arm and Naomi in a sling across her back. The two children were crying loudly.

Amy herself was staring at them, wide-eyed. Sonic looked away with a pang of hurt. She looked so… disappointed.

"What's happened to you two?" she whispered. The anger in both of them drained away as the watched the forlorn girl stare down at them. Shadow recovered his usual emotionless posture.

"Amy, you know that you have to hand them over," said Shadow.

Amy turned away. She suddenly turned back. Sonic was amazed at how her eyes had transformed from forlorn to angry and determined in the space of a breath.

"No, Shadow." She shook her head, holding Nathaniel tighter in her arms. "As long as there's breath left in my body, I'll never hand them over."

Sonic looked closely at Shadow. Was he imagining it, or did Shadow look rather strange? Then he placed it. He was staring at the two children with a look of hungry greed. Amy must've noticed it too. She backed away slowly as Sonic made a move to stop him.

Too late.

_"No!" _Sonic shouted as Shadow dashed towards Amy.

Amy screamed, dropping the suitcase as she tried to protect the two with her body. She squeezed her eyes tightly, listening as Naomi and Nathaniel's cries mingled together, waiting for the babies to be torn out of her grasp…

She opened her eyes. Through a veil of tears, she saw that Shadow had stopped.

"Nathaniel…" whispered Sonic a bit strangely, looking at the boy in her arms.

The boy's pupil-less eyes had gone wide. They shone bright, bright green, two tiny stars that were giving off a light all on their own.

Amy looked up at Shadow. He hadn't just stopped – he had frozen, as if he was caught halfway between a Chaos Control. He was only inches away from them. Amy leapt back. She couldn't – didn't understand what was happening. Was this the power that the twins were supposed to have?

Shadow hadn't completely frozen. His eyes were still moving, wide with surprise and fear. It looked like he wanted to shrink back from the terrible monster that she held in her arms.

The pink hedgehog looked at Sonic. Was that … fear she saw in his eyes? She looked away. That wasn't what she had wanted to see… thought she wasn't sure _what _she had wanted him to feel.

"A-Amy…" she heard him call.

"Let's go," she said, cutting him off. Her words had come out harsher than she had intended.

A few moments later, they were up in the air. Nathaniel's eyes had stopped glowing, and both he had his sister had fallen asleep.

"So… err… where are we headed to now?" Sonic asked her nervously.

Amy stared back at him, but her eyes were hard. "Anywhere," she answered. Then, she added in a soft whisper. "Anywhere but here…"

Sonic wasn't sure if she meant all of them, or just herself.

* * *

**_A/N: _**Both The Queen of Aces and I hope you've enjoyed the chapter! Today's my last day before my vacation... glorious vacation... (slightly maniacal look in eye). Eh, sorry about that. Must be all the chemical fumes while I was cleaning out all our bathrooms... My mom usually does it, but she looked a little tired from everything, so I decided to help... Now I know why my mom's crazy - it's from all those chemicals :P

Mom, if you're reading this, I'm kidding. Not that you'll understand this anyway, seeing as you don't know English... but at least I feel better now for poking fun at you behind your back :)

Thanks for reading!

The Queen of Aces

azngirlchibi


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: This chapter of Cold Compassion was brought to you by Aces Incorporated. Where our motto is: Sincere Service with Butt-kicking Talent.

Also, this chapter may contain full-frontal Jewdity. Ha ha, ew.

Currently, I am heading to Disneyworld with six of my friends (and my adorable step-sister, Gangstalicious) So I'm about to find out what happens when you put eight retards on the open road with nothing to do but eat bean burritos...

Last time I was here, my friend tackled Daffy Duck, and he got sued for a hella lot. But luckily he's really sick and couldn't come with us this time. No, I'm totally kidding...he's dead. (Stares awhile, then claps hands together) Alrighty then! How about we get started with the chapter?

By the way, I'm thinking about changing my name. Any suggestions? My step-brother Karson wants me to call myself: Damsel of Doom and Destruction...

Yah...THAT really rolls off the tongue...

I dunno. I'm taking suggestions. I might just keep it.

Anyway, ya'll enjoy this...

I'm off. We're in Seven Eleven, if you see me, wave!

If not...then enjoy this...

Also, azngirlchibi is my G.

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

"How did we ever go this far?  
You touch my hand and start the car  
And for the first time in my life  
I'm crying.  
Are we in space? Do we belong?  
Someplace where no one calls it wrong  
And like the stars we burn away  
The miles..."

-T.A.T.U

"Stars"

* * *

Stroking the front of his tender head, Amy brushed away the quills that were hanging over Nathaniel's thin expressional eyebrows, as Sonic watched her from the corner of his eye. Since the incident, he seemed to be almost fearful of the little toddler. 

But Amy had reached for him first, soothing the child as he squirmed in his sleep. There was a bruise on his knee, where he had fallen trying to walk for the first time. And a small cut on his finger, from where he had picked up a rose by accident, only to find that the exotic beauty was armed and deadly. His hair was ruffled, never quite laying straight, hanging over his eyes and scraping the very back of his neck.

She wanted to sing to him, to help him through this nightmare and onto a tender dream, but the silence was now a strong chokehold that made every attempt to talk a weak whisper. Feeling his gaze, her head snapped up, her stare both annoyed and curious.

As soon as she looked up, the blue hedgehog looked away. His cheeks turned pink, as if he had been caught seeing something he shouldn't have. As if he had no right to observe these small acts of tenderness, that he was not worthy of fully realizing how her heart held enough compassion to satisfy all of them.

Amy looked back at Nathaniel, wiping the small line of drool from his lips, before sighing. Settling him in her arms, she allowed herself to watch his face, scrunched up and little hands balled up into fists.

He was whimpering softly, so soft that she barely caught it. Stroking his arm, she frowned. Be well, my sweet baby, she thought, be well. If she could say anything, she would have told Nathaniel that no matter what nightmare lay ahead, in the end, she would be there when he awoke.

But this seemed like a promise too big for her to possibly make true, and the reality of it was enough to break her.

Ironic, that she had more or less gotten her wish. To be alone with Sonic all the time, to have a baby to take care of, to see each other all the time and know secrets that no one else did.

But this was nothing like she wanted. Because in the end, he still could not stand to be with her. And she no longer wanted to impress him. Usually, she had woke up at the crack of dawn to make it look like she had gotten a decent amount of sleep. She spent hours preparing a smile that she prayed would dazzle him.

But then, in the middle of the night, he would awake and leave her. He would have nightmares, and then when he came back, he would smile and lie about his troubles.

And knowing these lies, she begun to realize that she was keeping these tucked away, secret bullets for her ammunition.

When he began to drown in pity, she tried to help. But he had refused to open up to her, but demanded that this whole situation be blamed on him.

Finally, she had been through with it, she had had enough. She had shot down his attempt for self-pity, and he had taken it as a personal attack. Though he refused to believe it, she was just as lost as he was. These children were so hard to please, but he had acted as though she was supermom.

'I can't take care of the babies like you do. I can't change their diapers, or give them a bath, or even feed them without your help.'

In anger, Amy asked herself. 'When have you ever tried? I would have been glad to help you.' Tears pricked the corner of her eyes. For some reason, she thought of her father, who visited her once a year, only to visit his mother and make sure Rose was teaching her well so she could work for him when she was older.

Her father had not even wanted her, not once had he ever looked her in the eye. Amy bit her lip. 'You're already a better dad than mine was. You have already done so much more...' she breathed. As she touched her cheek, she was surprised to find it was soaked in her tears.

The silence was broken by his voice. "Amy," he paused, startled, as if he had not meant to address her. "Why are you crying?"

She had been so strong about this whole thing, only breaking down that time at K-Mart. Amy looked at him, and tears poured over her eyes, a waterfall of melancholy anguish that she had been carrying all along, so he did not have to be burdened. She felt like she was cutting off her own arm, like she was detaching a part of her.

"You can leave, anytime you want to..." she swallowed, eyes shining. "I'm not going to make you stay here and be with me. You can stop having those nightmares, and you can live in peace...and you won't have to..." she clutched Nathaniel tighter. "You won't ever have to take care of anyone else again."

Sonic set the plane on autopilot, before turning to her. "Amy, no..." he paused to reach out for her.

"If you think being with me is so bad, then leave." Amy was being harsh, eyes hard. But the tears were still pouring. "You keep us alive. You make sure we have food to eat, you play with them. What's wrong with needing my help?"

Everything that she had wanted to say was pouring out of her mouth, random thoughts that had brewed and was now boiling over. "I'm tired of you not talking to me, and I hate seeing you sad and not being able to tell you something you need to hear. You're being stupid! It's not that hard. Either you want to be with us, or you don't." Her tears did not falter. "Take it from me, fathers aren't necessary..."

Then, as she thought about it, she continued. "But they are wanted." her eyes then softened so, staring into his own. "They are so wanted. You know, if my father was half the person you were-" she stopped immediately, sorrow filling her features.

Sonic watched in wonderment as she withdrew herself, the words that she had not meant to say hung in the air. This part of her was new to him. A secret that he did not know.

The blue hedgehog then paused. "I don't want to leave you," he finally decided. He watched as Nathaniel stirred in her arm. "It's just..." as the little boy stopped, his features immediately relaxed, and his adorable face became a soft place of peace.

Sonic looked up at Amy. "Why can't they see what we see?" he asked, mouth wide. "Why do we have to be punished for doing the right thing? Look at us. We could die at any moment, for saving two children. I've never been hated for wanting to do the right thing. And I'm so worried that I'll mess up...and that you'll pay for my mistakes..." sighing, he added. "I just feel so useless. You've been carrying me and the twins all this time. You've had the toughest job of us all..."

After awhile, the silence was broken. Amy's eyes flickered to the sleeping girl in the back, and to the little boy in her arms. When she finally spoke, she broke the wall between them. Setting them both free with one response. "When you love someone..." Amy replied. "It stops being a job."

Sonic breathed in the smell of hospitality that only hotels could offer at this point. Taking his shoes off, he sat down on the bed and watched Amy set the twins on the other bed, before sitting down across from him.

Finally, he asked his pink companion. "Can I ask you something?" he asked, as Amy looked to him. Never had he opened up to her first. This was new and greatly accepted territory.

Nodding, Sonic sat back. "There was something Shadow said to me...I can't get it out of my head." stopping to see her reaction, he noticed her expression tightening, her eyes instantly taking on a look he could not picture. Sonic blinked, a secret coming out. "You know, he's fond of you. He might even like you."

"I know." Amy replied instantly.

"Even when he saw you with them, back there. He had a look I couldn't..." he ran a hand through his hair. "Before he even saw the children. His eyes were..."

"Soft." Amy gave him, the perfect word. Sonic realized that she had known about Shadow long before he had even sensed him. Amy swallowed. "He was devastated, when I saw you two fighting." With a smile, she turned the conversation around. "What did he say to you?" she asked, begging for him to open up. Sonic swallowed before sighing and deciding that it was time to put more trust in someone.

"He told me...that they would grow up miserable. And that...it would be humane to kill them." Sonic began to quote the black hedgehog word for word. "They'll know that the only reason that they are alive is to destroy the world. They know that every creature they meet, every being that they hold dear will die, all because of them." He waited for her reaction, only to find that Amy seemed compelled by this. "He told me that they would hate themselves for being what they are."

Amy tilted her head. "And what are they?" she asked, curious. Sonic stared uneasily.

"Apparently, they're going to be murderers."

"Yes." Amy gave him a look that he could not describe. "You know. Shadow makes an excellent point."

Sonic gasped. "You're joining his side?"

Amy darkened. "No, never." her eyes shifted. "I would never let anyone kill them."

Sonic smiled. "Because it's the right thing to do?"

Amy watched his face, before smiling weakly. "Yeah," she admitted. "For the sake of justice."

What she didn't have the heart to tell him, was that her reasons were purely selfish. Because Nathaniel and Naomi were now her children, and she loved them more than she could ever admit. They were a part of her, a trait, a physical need. Somehow, she had come to need those children, like an arm or a leg.

If they were killed, not only would evil have won. But they would be killing her too. And Amy was afraid of the result. If they cut off that arm, she might just be crippled for life.

Realizing that Sonic was watching, she quickly gave him a smile. Hoping that this was the last of her emotional troubles.

* * *

_A year later..._

By the time Tails entered his workshop, he was nearly ten minutes late.

As he entered, he noticed the relief that instantly swept over their faces. Shadow was lost in thought, unaware of his presence, staring at the table set out in the middle of the room. His crimson eyes were watching the drink that had been provided, watching ripples form as Tails took a seat and scooted closer, bumping his knee on the wooden table.

Knuckles was sitting close to Rouge, hands clasped in a troubled look that was half filled with annoyance. Rouge herself was sighing, looking away for some source of entertainment, hands placed on her swelled stomach. Pregnant, for almost nine months now. Tails looked around.

Almost instantly, the young fox noticed something. "Where's Cream?"

As if on cue, the door opened, only to reveal the young rabbit herself. But there was no smile on her face, no gleam in her eye or sparkle in her step. Her dress was worn, the hem was frayed, her hair was untamed and long. She had a bruise on her temple, and her lips were pressed tight, and her pet chao was nowhere to be found.

She, of all of them, should have been the first to arrive. Having explored the North, there were plenty of reasons to come back. Including bitter cold through the winter months. As she sat down, her stomach growled so noisily that it snapped Shadow out of his daydream. They stared at the rabbit, who seemed to not have noticed.

Finally, Rouge sighed. "What took you, hon? We were worried sick."

Cream swallowed and simply shrugged. "I guess I lost track of time. Sorry, everyone." she apologized.

She had lived with him, for a few brief weeks. She had not said why, but afterwards, she had volunteered to work permanently up in the North. They gave her all the special equipment, they bought her a house.

And she had not been seen ever since, except in major meetings. Tails watched her face, thin and dirty, as if she had not had a chance to bathe on the way back. Her hair was now to her shoulders, and her body was so frail and sickly pale. He bit back his concern, before Cream began to play with one of her delicately sculpted ears.

Knuckles cleared his throat. "Now that we're all here, I'd like to discuss something."

Rouge nodded. "We've been patrolling around the world; we've covered every nook and cranny, everything we could possibly think of. We've even tried weaseling them out, but so far that's been useless, too," the young bat added, before looking at all of them. They were the elite five, all for their special skills and relations to the criminals.

Shadow, who was taking this all as an insult, snapped back. "Well, what do you suggest we do about it?"

Tails frowned. "It seems we've greatly underestimated their abilities."

Shadow bowed his head. Wrong, Shadow thought back, we've underestimated HER abilities.

He thought of Amy, who had haunted his mind ever since she had played HIM for the fool. He wondered what she was thinking, if she was thinking about him, or wondering when they would next meet, like he was. He wanted to slap himself, but decided that this was not the time or place.

And ever since that little brat had made a fool out of him too, his sympathy was running short. Sure, Sonic has sensed him too. But he could be easily destroyed. But the girl...Amy, she had wormed her way into his skin, into his thoughts and into his heart, so that every beat brought yearning for her.

He remembered how she had looked at him, there, fighting with Sonic. Her eyes had met his for a brief moment, and he had not been able to let it go ever since.

Shadow watched as Knuckles began to stand up, declaring a new plan.

"I was thinking, of adding the number of our allies." Knuckles proclaimed, as Cream's stomach began to growl again.

Rouge looked up. "Cream, do you want something to eat?" she asked, as the little rabbit blushed.

"After the meeting."

Tails piped up. "New allies? Like who?"

Knuckles paused. "Actually, I was thinking of involving...Eggman."

It was quiet, as everyone considered.

Finally, Rouge spoke up. "It could be a huge help, with all of his robots."

Cream instantly replied back. Her high pitched voice was raw. "Miss Rouge," she scorned. "Haven't you learned anything? We've lost the only two members on our team who were indestructible. Robots have never been able to handle Sonic and Amy, and they never will." She then stood up, as if this idea was outrageous. "Eggman is not a help, he will be a burden."

Tails nodded. "I agree with Cream." he sided, as the rabbit relaxed.

Shadow then looked at his team. "Well...what if you combine YOUR technology with the doctor's?"

Knuckles smiled. "Good thinking, Shadow!"

Rouge was still shocked at the rabbit's earlier outburst. "Sounds good to me."

Tails thought for a moment. "It's worth a shot." he turned to the rabbit. "What do you think?"

"Sure, fine." But the girl was already grabbing her coat and sweater. "Then, I'm going back." she bit her lip. "It was nice to see you all, but I really have to be going."

Rouge blinked. "Aren't you even going to say goodbye to your mother? I'm sure she's worried sick."

But Cream only opened the door and whispered. "No. She's better off without me." the little rabbit closed the door and started walking. Wondering what she would do if she had to keep going on like this.

At this point, she was only hurting both teams.

"Cream!" Tails called. And she paused, watching him grab her shoulders and spin her around to look into her eyes.

"What's wrong?" he asked, and she swallowed. "We're going to win. You and your mother will be safe."

Tears pricked her eyes, as she struggled to speak past the lump in her throat. She thought of her best friend, of the girl she one day hoped to be, of the only person who loved her as much as her mother used to. The girl who never blown her off for anything, even though she was just a little sister to her.

Amy had loved her, and she'd given it up. Shouldn't she have learned by now, that love was worth it? And what was life, now, without it? It was a miserable, cold and dark place.

Cream wiped her tears. She wanted Amy back; she wanted to be loved again. She wanted her mother. But as she looked at Tails, she saw that those days were long gone. She had been given the choice, and she'd chosen wrong. Now she'd be punished for it.

But suddenly he was holding her and she was crying like a little baby. She managed to stop long enough to answer.

"But...if you win," she whispered against the fox's fur as he held her close. "I still lose."

* * *

It was one of those beautiful sunny days, the kind that bathe everything in a golden light. Where even the sunflowers seemed to sing and the sun warmed your back and everything seemed so much prettier. Where the leaves on the trees were the same color as the grass and butterflies fluttered while a cool breeze would carry petals away. 

He watched Amy sit down on the grass, setting down Nathaniel and smiled as he immediately started to walk away. He set down Naomi, disappointed when Amy's gaze did not flicker to him, but stayed on the little boy.

His sister immediately flopped to the floor, for she had yet to learn how to walk as well as her brother. Sonic set her up again, waiting awhile before she took off. The fight seemed like forever ago, when they had both scared each other with the possibility of leaving.

But no matter what he had said, he never left her. Though he couldn't place why, but when the thought of leaving ever entered his mind, he felt physically ill. He would get pale and start to shake at the thought of sleeping in trees again, without anyone to run to.

As he sat beside her, they watched the children play. Amy turned towards him, and gave a half-smile. "They slept for seven hours straight." Amy mused as she looked at her bare feet. "Does that count as sleeping through the night?"

"Isn't it weird that we never talk about it?" Sonic piped up, as she stilled. Before she could play dumb, he added. "About what happened with Nathaniel?"

Amy stared off into the distance for a few moments, before she closed her eyes. Her hair had gotten so long; it floated around her bare shoulders, tickling her skin. She had gotten taller too, and her face was thinner, a certain grace in her movements.

"Let me ask you something," Amy turned to him, opening her eyes and stunning him with their beauty. "What if Nathaniel grew up, and he told you he was gay?"

Sonic blinked. He was surprised at his immediate answer. "So what?"

"What if he decided to devote himself into Jewish faith?"

"That's his decision."

"What if he killed our friends?" Amy asked.

Sonic looked at her. "It's not the same. It's different..."

Amy looked away and found her little boy, currently watching his sister pluck flowers, before wrapping his arms around her. Her protector. She thought about the startling green of his thick hair, of the mess of freckles on his shoulders, she thought about his eyes. She thought about the way he felt in her arms, how he liked to sing along to the radio and the feel of his skin against her lips as she kissed him goodnight. Amy smiled.

"Not to me."

Before he could reply, both picked up a sharp cry. Their heads turned to the children, who had fallen. Pollen was in their hair and Naomi was crying, while Nathaniel seemed to whimper. As Sonic and Amy approached them, they turned to Nathaniel first, who had scraped his knee. Droplets of blood colored his bronze skin, and as he held onto the wound, his hand was smeared with blood.

Sonic bent over to him, ruffling his hair. "It's okay, Nathaniel. It's just a scrape." At that moment Nathaniel turned to look at him; he realized that he had never fully addressed the little boy. And he was hurt when confusion passed over the boy's face.

"Hurts," he mumbled out, blowing the locks of hair out of his eyes. He needed a haircut. He would have to remind Amy later. Amy smiled and took a band-aid from her purse, before planting it on his knee. As she kissed the bandage, his eyes brightened as he jumped onto his feet and threw his arms around her neck.

"Done!" he smiled and tried to lift up his leg. "Done!" he declared to Sonic, as the blue hedgehog studied his face. His cheeks were stained with streaks of dirt, but he was so open and loving that Sonic merely laughed and nodded.

As Nathaniel beamed at him, they heard something behind them. It was Naomi. "Hurts."

Amy smiled as they started to turn. "I know, we're..." both hedgehogs stopped as Naomi lifted her leg from her place on the ground.

Though it was only a simple cut, there was blood everywhere. It was on her dress, on her shoes, her whole leg dyed in crimson blood. Amy gasped, as Naomi stared at them with sad eyes. Her leg was gushing with blood, as her little hands were trying to stop it, clamping over her knee as she winced.

"Hurts." she whispered again as her eyes turned towards Sonic. As she lifted her leg more, some blood dropped onto the crown of flowers Amy had made for her yesterday. Naomi looked at him.

"Ow..." she said again, the blood seeping over the white color of the flowers. It tainted the bottom of her curls, over her other leg, on her cheeks and streaking over her eyes.

The whole observation was made in seconds, but it was Amy who rushed to the child, tearing off the bottom of her dress, she wrapped it around the child's leg. "Just hold on," she whispered. "Just hold on."

Turning to look at the commotion, Nathaniel's eyes widened. Sonic lifted the little boy and shielded him from the horrible sight. But he had seen it, and as he looked at Sonic, the little boy stared blankly. "Hurts inside." He replied, matching all of their emotions with two simple words.

* * *

**_A/N: _**This is azngirlchibi, with a piece of advice - Don't play badminton with your dad if he is over 50, unless you want him to pull a muscle. 

Well, can't say my vacation time was the best I'd ever had in my life... but I guess it could've been worse. I mean, I only sat five freaking hours in the car with my mom re-telling embarassing stories of my childhood with my aunt! NOBODY NEEDS TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS FIVE, MOM!

(ahem) I had to get that out.

Anyways, let's have a moment of silence as we mourn over the fact that the last Harry Potter book is out, and we will never hear about Harry's adventures ever again.

(mourn)

Done. Now I can look forward to Sonic and Mario at the Olympic games, and Sonic RPG :)

Thanks for reading!

**There are no Anonymous Reviews :(**

_The Queen of Aces_

_azngirlchibi_


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N: **_GAH! I'm too disorganized for this… I dunno how you guys who type like, fifty stories at a time manage this. I've already almost messed up chapters… almost uploaded this to something else :P

Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

"_**Looks like the birds have stopped singing  
The cold winds must have come and taken them  
All you want is to sing along  
And bring them back again  
It's all detours, red lights and dead ends"**_

_-"Meant to Fly" lyrics by Eva Avila_

* * *

The plane was watching them as the tree swayed drunkenly from the little girl's blood. It could hear the pink hedgehog whisper, in a shaking voice, comforting words, as if it would take away the little girl's pain, stop the tree from drinking her life away. The little girl was whimpering with pain and fear as she grew paler and paler, and the little boy sobbed, even as the blue hedgehog stroked his hair, telling him that nothing was wrong, his sister would be fine. 

But that was just a lie – a horrible one, at that, even the plane could tell.

Now the blue hedgehog was standing up, his face alight with determination. He was strolling quickly towards the girl, leaving the little boy to trail behind him, trying hard not to stumble with his new-found walking skills. He was talking to the pink hedgehog, who was shaking her head frantically, her small strip of dress now saturated with dark-red liquid. It heard the blue hedgehog raise his voice, just a little, the same sort of tone he used when he was leading the small, two-tailed fox, it's old pilot and master.

The pink hedgehog shook her head again, but the blue hedgehog was standing firmly in front of her, pointing – with some anger, the plane observed – at the strip of fabric that had done nothing to staunch the bleeding. The pink hedgehog started to shake, and she pressed the little girl's body closer to hers, staining her fur with blood.

The blue hedgehog shook his head. His voice was starting to shake with desperation as the girl's strikingly green eyes stared around wildly. She still refused to let go of the little girl.

Then, something interesting happened. The little boy, who seemed to have stopped sobbing, placed a small hand on the older girl's arm. Words were exchanged, or at least, the little boy said something to her. Her grip on the small girl relaxed, and she was taken by the older male.

For a second, the pink hedgehog opened her mouth in protest, but seemed to think better of it.

Quickly, the plane's new master raced towards it, placing the girl inside. The pink hedgehog, holding the green-furred boy's hand, hoisted themselves up along it's side and settled themselves in it's seat.

It felt it's master telling him to start, and with a rumble, it lifted off.

But this time, there was no squealing of joy from the little girl. She didn't dangle off it's side, just enough to keep herself from falling, as she pointed out all the tiny things she could see below. There were no sounds of _'ooh's' _and _'ah's' _as she pointed out the fantastic shapes of clouds that it flew though.

No, the plane couldn't hear anything but the putting of it's own engine, and a strange, deathly silence.

* * *

'_Mommy, please give Naomi to Daddy.'_

Where did Nathaniel learn these words? Where did he learn words like "Mommy" and "Daddy?" And even more amazingly yet, how did he know how to use them?

Amy had never taught him these words, and she was as sure as anything that Sonic had never insisted on being called, "Daddy." She couldn't even remember saying those words in front of Nathaniel, or even in front of Naomi…

Her heart squeezed painfully at the thought of her, and she was grateful that no one could see her tears as she drove the plane, though she was no where as good as Sonic was...

She gripped the steering wheel a little harder than necessary. Why had she lost her cool like that? It was like she had snapped when she saw Naomi's blood everywhere… she vaguely remembered wondering how a little child like her had so much blood to lose.

But besides trying to desperately stop the bleeding, she had done nothing. She had sat there, frozen by panic, her heart hammering too loudly in her ears to hear anything else, her vision stained red by the sight of the little green hedgehog…

Shivering from something that was defiantly not cold, she sunk a little lower into her seat. She was so ashamed of herself. She had been so useless, and it had taken both Sonic and Nathaniel to break her out of her stupor.

She could remember Sonic taking Naomi out of her arms. And he had paused, for just a second, when she opened her mouth to protest. _'I can take care of her myself, Sonic,' _she had wanted to say. _'I can help her. I can save her.'_

Was she so afraid of trusting Sonic with Naomi? After all, Sonic had taken care of countless battle wounds before, especially when he went on missions against Eggman. Naomi's was no different – it was probably a small scratch compared to what he had sustained.

_'But it _was _a small scratch,' _she thought to herself. _'Why had there been so much blood?'_

Sure Naomi had always seemed weak compared to Nathaniel. But was she really the fragile glass doll that Amy had sometimes thought her to be?

She sniffed a little, and suddenly raised a hand to touch her face. Without realizing it, it was now wet with tears. The blood on her fur had hardened and was stretching uncomfortably across her front. She probably looked like a mess.

She sighed, and tears forced their way up again. Maybe some part of her… some small, tiny part of her… really did think that she was super mom. Maybe she had forgotten that Sonic was also there for her – for the twins – when they needed him most.

Maybe she had forgotten that he loved them as much as she did.

_'Sonic, you're a better father than you think you are,' _she thought bitterly. _'And I'm a worse mother than you think I am.'_

* * *

Sonic's eyes were itching with tiredness. The bleeding had finally, _finally, _stopped. Nathaniel whimpered beside him, but whenever he tried to comfort the boy, he would pull away. Sonic ignored the little stab of hurt that pricked at his insides when he did this – after all, he needed to watch over Naomi until she got better. 

A small bowl of hot water nearly tipped when the plane took a sharp turn. _'Amy was never much of a pilot,' _Sonic mused as he sat the water back and started toweling the blood off Naomi. He couldn't help but be a bit queasy as he did so. Not that he was queasy at the sight of blood, no; it was more of the sight of blood on Naomi that did so.

The little girl would moan a little every now and then, shaking her head a little and trying to weakly throw off her blankets. But before Sonic could put them back on, Nathaniel would be right there, standing on a little stool to reach the side of the bed, gently put the blankets back on. Sonic would be amazed every time the boy did so; amazed that he seemed to know exactly what Naomi needed.

Nathaniel was just putting them back on again, when he said, "Naomi's hurting."

Sonic was quiet for a moment. "I know, Nathan… we can't do anything but wait until she wakes up," he said softly. He found his eyes drawn to Naomi's closed ones, waiting for them to open…

"When?"

Sonic turned to Nathaniel. He wasn't looking at him, but at Naomi's eyelids, just as he had been a moment ago. He asked again, "When is Naomi going to wake?"

Sonic was taken aback by how Nathaniel had asked him so _calmly, _as if he was sure that Naomi would defiantly wake up. _'Which she _will_,' _thought Sonic, immediately ashamed at himself for his doubts.

"I don't know…" he whispered. "Just wait, Nathaniel."

The small, green hedgehog looked down solemnly at Naomi, and for a moment, it was as if they were talking to each other, even though their mouths weren't moving…

Naomi groaned again, before her eyelids fluttered open.

_"Sis!" _Nathaniel cried out with joy, and it took all of Sonic's strength to stop him from pouncing on her, even though he was on the verge of doing so himself. "You 'kay?"

His sudden change from being an adult to child surprised Sonic, even as Nathaniel ran over to Naomi. Naomi smiled back weakly, before coughing a little. "I'm 'kay…" she said weakly.

Sonic smiled gently at her. "Don't move, okay Naomi? When you get better, you can play with your brother."

Naomi nodded at him, and she smiled a little. "Thanks, Daddy, for taking care of me."

Sonic's breath caught in his throat. _'Daddy…' _He never thought that he'd be called that, not in his lifetime. He nodded back. "No problem, Naomi…" And, feeling a little awkward, he turned to Nathaniel. "Guard your sister, and tell us if there's any problem with her, okay?"

Nathaniel nodded, in that adult-like seriousness that didn't seem to fit the child.

Sonic sighed, before turning around and opening the door, exiting the small, extra room in the plane. Naomi wasn't the only one who needed healing…

* * *

The metallic clank of footsteps on the floor announced his presence, making Amy jump. She hastily wiped her tears away and looked straight-ahead, hoping her expression was that of indifference. 

Sonic sat down beside her, the springs creaking under his weight. Amy resisted the urge to jerk the plane in some random direction out of pure shame as she felt the heat of his eyes turn towards her.

"Is she going to be alright?" Amy asked, before Sonic could open his mouth. She didn't think she could bear saying Naomi's name at the moment.

"Yeah… she's a little dizzy at the moment, but she'll be fine," replied Sonic. He felt extremely nervous for some reason. Maybe it was because Amy kept on shifting in her seat, as if she couldn't wait to get away…

"Oh," whispered Amy. "That's… good… yeah…"

Sonic couldn't help staring at her for a few moments. There were dry tears on her usual round, cheerful face. And he couldn't help thinking that she didn't sound entirely sincere or truthful when she talked, nor did she sound entirely happy. He also couldn't help noticing how she still carried herself with an air of grace, how the slight wind made her hair sway and dip… He looked away, his face burning.

"Naomi almost died, didn't she?"

"W-what?" he asked, still trying to force the heat off his face.

"Naomi almost died… and she would've, if it wasn't for you…"

Amy's voice shook. Her throat felt sore and raw from holding back all her tears, and she couldn't get rid of the sudden picture that sprang into her mind – of her holding onto a bleeding Naomi, of the little girl screaming, pleading for her to let go, how Amy couldn't unfold her arms no matter how hard she tried… _'Mommy! Mommy, you're hurting me…'_

Sonic wasn't sure what to say. "She… she wasn't about to die, exactly…" His voice trailed off, and the blood rushed to his ears.

"What do you mean by that?" Amy asked sharply. Her shoulders were shaking, though she didn't know if it was from the effort of not crying, or from her sudden flame of anger. "Naomi… she… she…" A ribbon of tears cascaded down her cheek, and she couldn't wipe it away without Sonic noticing. She tried to turn away.

To her surprise, she was stopped. Sonic was looking at her, his eyes soft. Her heart suddenly jumped from her chest to her ears, where they pounded so loudly that she was surprised that Sonic couldn't hear them.

"C'mon Ames…" he said quietly. His gloved hand rested on her cheek, where the tears started soaking into his glove. "I hate seeing you like this…"

Amy forcefully pulled away. Her cheeks were smoldering with shame. "Are you asking me to be happy with myself after what happened today?" she asked furiously. "I… I don't know what's _wrong _with me. I mean…" Anger left her almost lost for words. "Naomi was _dying _in my arms, and I just _sat _there staring at her…"

The plane jerked again as her fingers slipped from the wheel. Sonic hastily press the auto-pilot button, but Amy still didn't let go of the wheel.

"Amy," he said, "Please don't blame yourself for what happened today."

Amy stared at him in shock. Then, she laughed a cold, cruel laugh that made even her flinch. _"Don't blame myself? _Sonic, that's what I've been trying to tell you for _months!"_

"Amy… I… that's not the same…"

She ignored that. "You're _such _a hypocrite. Everyday, every single day, when I've been taking care of Nathaniel and Naomi, I've been _trying _to tell you _not to blame yourself for the situation we're in!" _She finally let go of the steering wheel and jabbed it hard in his chest with her finger.

"Ow! Amy…"

_"None of us," _she said, making sure that every word was pronounced with the utmost care, "blame you for us being on the run. Not Nathaniel, not Naomi, and _certainly not me!" _she said, jabbing him with every syllable that left her mouth.

Sonic grabbed her by the wrist, and she struggled for a moment. "Okay, fine!" shouted Sonic. "I'm a hypocrite! I'm an idiot for blaming myself all the time, okay? I was stupid!"

Amy stopped and stared at him, her mouth a round "O" of shock. _'Sonic the Hedgehog admitting that he's wrong? That's a first…'_

"It's just that…" he paused, his grip on her wrist slackening slightly. "It's hard, okay? I was the one that suggested that we run away in the first place, and after seeing you suffer like that, I was sorry I put the idea into your head."

Amy couldn't say anything but a quiet "Oh" of surprise and shock.

He finally let go of her wrist, but he was still staring into her eyes. "Amy, we both know it's not easy being the hero, especially when you have to make choices like this. Sometimes, you even doubt if you're fit to be a hero, especially after you fail someone."

Amy bit her lip. "Yeah… you're right Sonic…" she said, a bit reluctantly.

Sonic relaxed now that Amy didn't look like she was going to explode any second. "It's just that… wow, this has been a crazy year…" Sonic looked outside. Trees were starting to change colours, bright scarlets and golds that leaped high into the sky, the leaves falling as the trees got ready for the winter snow.

Amy allowed herself a small smile. "You can say that again."

His brain stopped for a moment, as it always did when Amy smiled like that. But somehow, he couldn't remember when her smile had ever been more beautiful.

Amy sighed, the smile gone, but a small light of happiness starting to glow in her eyes. "I guess we've been unfair to each other, huh?" It sounded more like a statement, not a question.

Sonic smirked, just a little. "You're right… we've both been a little in over out heads."

Sighing again, Amy sat down in her chair. She hadn't noticed that she had gotten up, or how tired she suddenly was. She looked up at the ceiling. "What do you think they're doing right now?"

Sonic didn't need to ask to know who "they" were.

"Probably looking for us." He didn't sit down. "Especially Shadow…"

"Yeah… probably him the most." It was strange that the two of them were speaking his name so casually, thought Amy. Sonic didn't seem to mind it.

"Amy," Sonic suddenly said, sounding a bit nervous. "Do you…?"

"I love Shadow," said Amy promptly. She couldn't help smiling when Sonic visibly deflated. "… As a brother," she added.

Sonic suddenly perked up, and Amy laughed out loud. He looked at her, a little annoyed. "What are you laughing about?"

Amy just shook her head. _'Same, clueless Sonic,' _she thought, trying to stifle her laughter.

Sonic hid his disappointment when she stopped laughing. He liked her laugh, he noticed, sending another wave of blushes along his muzzle.

"So," he said, desperate to change the subject. "How do you think everyone else is doing?"

There was a moment of thoughtful silence. "I expect Knuckles and Rouge to have gotten together by _now, _at least…"

"Nah," said Sonic, laughing. "They're both way too stubborn for that."

Amy grinned. "Oh, come on, Sonic. Give them a chance. I mean, if the two of them can pull their eyes away from the Master Emerald for at least a second, and if they stopped arguing… then maybe…"

"Yeah, right," said Sonic, rolling his eyes towards the sky. "That'd be the day that Tails stopped building things… mind you, that's probably what he's doing right now…"

Amy heard his voice trail of wistfully. He was probably thinking of the time they could be spending together right now. Jealously flooded through her for a moment, but disappeared quickly. After all, how many times had she done the exact same thing, but with Cream?

_'She'd be all grown up by now,' _she thought longingly. _'I wonder if she's still leaving roses at the doorstep all the time…?' _She had the sudden absurd thought of walking to her doorstep to find Cream smiling at her with a basket of roses in her hand. Her mouth twitched into a dry smile. _'I wonder if Cheese is still small enough to sneak into the movies…?'_

Sonic was thinking along the same lines. _'Tails is probably building another plane since we stole this one.' _He felt a twinge of guilt. _'I wonder how high he can fly now? Is he still afraid of lightening? Has he built the world's fastest plane, like the way he always told me he would?'_

Amy broke the silence. "I bet Cream and Tails are happy now."

Sonic blinked. "You mean, together?"

Amy threw up her hands in exasperation, glad for a distraction from her thoughts. "Do you pay attention to _anything?"_

Sonic bristled up with annoyance. "I _happened _to not like poking into other people's business."

Amy looked at him with mock anger. "Oh yes, Shadow would be so _happy _to finally hear that."

"Well, if Cream likes Tails, why doesn't she just say so?"

"Oh, that'd be a conversation. 'Hello, Tails. I love you. Let's live together now.'"

"C'mon, if she likes him so much-"

"You don't just randomly go up to people and say that you _love _them…"

"Why's that?"

"Don't you know anything about love?"

"Yes, I do," Sonic said, his voice suddenly furious.

Amy's mouth dropped opened again. His words seemed to reach very slowly from her ears to her mind, and they came to her about five seconds after he said them.

She opened her mouth, but before she could say, "Yeah, how so?" He had grabbed her around the waist and was pressing her lips fiercely against his, making her heart beat faster than Sonic could ever run.

And the plane started rumbling, it's mind buzzing with the events it had witnessed that day.

* * *

_**A/N: **_(Squeals) I'm pretty happy with this chapter, actually :P I hope you guys don't mind the bit in the beginning, but I wanted to do something different. I'm actually finding that I like giving life to inanimate objects :D Don't worry, to anyone who didn't like it, I won't be doing it too much. And no, the plane isn't really alive… this is probably only going to be a one-chapter gig. 

Hope you guys liked it! And I should also mention that I'm leaving again sometime this month to go to either Las Vegas or Vancouver… So I'll try to spit out as many chapters as possible before I leave (which won't be a lot, trust me xP).

Thanks for reading!

**Anonymous Reviews (finally!):**

**SkyeTheFlyer: **Actually, Naomi did have Hemophilia in the original version of the last chapter. The idea might or might not be scratched out though, we have yet to discuss it. As for the Sonic RPG thing, I'm not sure what it is exactly myself, except that it's well… Sonic the Hedgehog in RPG form… Sorry, I don't have much info on it myself xP. Thanks for reading!

**Marianne: **I missed it? I read through it again and it looks alright. I dunno, I didn't take it out myself or anything, but it might have missed it when I uploaded… I still don't know why fanfiction dot net misses some words when I upload :P. But besides that, how did you know I missed it? I didn't even catch it myself… Anyways, you sure sound a heck of a lot better, and I hope you really are! Thanks for finding the time to review :D

The Queen of Aces

azngirlchibi


	11. Chapter 11

**_A/N: _**This is azngirlchibi with nothing to say but this: READ THE UBER AWESOME CHAPTER BY THE QUEEN OF ACES NOW!

I'm also a slight bit pissed at fanfiction dot net right now because they keep on screwing up the formatting... well, you'll know what I mean when you start reading.

Oh, and enjoy the chapter:)

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

**_"Mama, we're all full of lies  
Mama, we're meant for the flies  
And right now their bulding  
A coffin your size  
Mama, we're all full of lies."_**

-Mama  
My Chemical Romance

* * *

Amy wanted so much to say something. Anything. 

But as she pulled away, she was forced to breathe as the blue hedgehog stared at her. Her lips begame stuck together, as her whole body began to shake. Her mouth was not working, and her body was no longer functional. The air turbulence was the only sound between them. Twisting her hands in the fabric of her dress, she could hear her mind, different emotions and commands fighting for control.

But her mouth was a cage, and she was trapped inside.

She thought of all the things she knew she wanted to say. She thought of what she was supposed to say. She thought of what she shouldn't say. And she thought of what he might want her to say. Which one was she supposed to follow? Amy began to breathe in, because suddenly her throat was too swollen and she couldn't breathe. Keeping her face still, she refused to let him see that inside she was failing. That her lungs were collapsing and that her stomach was going to explode. She felt sick, but light, and weightless.

Sonic was still staring, eyes awaiting. Amy could not read his face.

'If only I could,' she thought. 'If only I could, it would make my choice so much easier.'

Finally, the words she finally managed, were nothing that she could have stopped.

"What're you thinking?" Amy asked, pressing her open palm agianst her chest and trying

to slow down her heart. Her voice was raw, damaged, hurt.

As she turned to the plane, she punched the autopilot off, before diving onto the ground and managing to land without killing them all. She tried to find the button to open the cockpit, but her whole world was going black. She was hyperventalating, she was seeing spots, she was dying. Before she knew it, she was on the ground, sporting a hand covered in shards of glass. The punch she had made leaving the whole glass shattering away.

Stumbling to her feet, she started to walk away. Amy felt Sonic's hand on her shoulder, spinning her around. "Amy..." Sonic searched for words. "Listen. About the kiss..."

But she did not want to hear it. Turning sharply away from him, she began to object. "Can we just forget about it?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"Forget?" His voice was high, shrill. Amy growled.

"Yes." she spun to face him, her quills flying. Throwing her arms into the air, she glared at him. "What in the world are you thinking? Have you gone absolutely insane?"

Sonic stopped. And she could see his utter loss and confusion. "I don't know." he replied. Watching her, his face dropped. "Have I?"

Amy came closer to him, close enough for him to smell her. "Look." She whispered low. "We almost lost Naomi. Our other child is probably scarred for life, and we're still being hunted down." she was still breathing heavily. "To say that we're both super messed up is the understatement of the year." her face was now red, as if she discovered how close they were.

Pulling away, Amy swallowed. "I can't deal with this right now." Her eyes found his. "You were just caught up in the moment...or...or maybe you were just seeking comfort...maybe you're on crack...I don't know!" Amy jerked away. "But it was a mistake." her voice was low, eyes pleading that he agree. "Right?"

Suddenly Sonic understood. He nodded. "Right." he forced himself to say the words. "A mistake."

Amy visibly relaxed, looking relieved to the point of tears. Sonic began to bandage her hand, wondering how they could manage to fix the glass. Amy was staring at him, but he could not meet her eyes. 'Once agian,' he thought bitterly, 'she has managed to catch me lacking.'

* * *

"Mommy, look!" Nathaniel's voice was excited, despite the awful day they had experianced. As Amy put his night shirt over his head, he exclaimed in a wild voice. "Look what I can do." Bouncing on the bed, he managed to do a complete front-flip, only he slid and landed right on his knees. But he was practically glowing, unaware that his mother was not in the mood. Smiling, he gestured. "Pretty cool, huh?" when she didn't respond, he kept asking. "Right, Mommy?" 

Snapping her head towards him, Amy suddenly glared. "My name is Amy." She paused, breathing hard. But it did nothing to calm her down. She was faintly aware that Sonic was watching. Amy pointed towards herself and spoke clearly. "I am not your mother." she told him. "Please don't call me mommy."

Despite her surprising outburst, the little boy only frowned. "Okay, then, Amy." Rolling to his feet, he crawled towards the spot next to his sister, who was already sleeping. Sighing, Amy came to him and tucked him in. Whispering her apology, his face brightened once more. "It's okay." he simply responded. "I'm cranky, too."

Amy managed a chuckle as she kissed his forehead, before doing the same to his sister. "Be well, my sweet baby." she whispered to the little girl. "Be well."

When she moved on to her bed, she said nothing. Sonic was staring, and she could feel his eyes burning holes through her. Amy just closed her eyes and tried her best to sound like she was sleeping. While the world quieted down around her, Amy waited for the blue hedgehog to fall asleep.

Her signal to escape.

* * *

Once she started running, she couldn't stop. 

Her red boots were hitting the ground forcefully as she pushed her body forward. She ran past the hotel lobby, past the plane that was cloaked to match the trees, and began to run into the forest. Barely dodging the pine trees, she simply ran, as if it was the only thing her body knew how to do. She could not feel the pain in her side, or the way her lungs were dying for a breath of air, she just kept going. Amy pumped her arms faster, breathing hard and keeping her eyes on whatever lay ahead of her. 'This isn't right,' she thought as she listened to the pounding of her feet, 'I can't just leave.' But she made no move to stop running or to turn around.

Tears began to blur her vision, but she did not slow down. They were lost among the wind as she tried to see the path in front of her. Her eyes were burning, and she managed to cry out past the splitting pain in her sides. "I'm sorry." she whispered, crying. "I'm so sorry."

What would he say, when he woke up and found that she was gone? Would he search for her? Would he tell the twins? What about Nathaniel? Amy thought of what the little boy had said to her, and the conviction in his voice that had terrified her. 'Mommy, please give Naomi to Daddy.' Suddenly, she coasted to a stop. Breathing in, she stared at the road ahead of her for the longest time. When she could breathe agian, she turned to look behind her. Somewhere back there, the twins were sleeping. Thinking of Nathaniel, she let the wind carry away her tears, as she bit her lip.

"I'm sorry Nathaniel." she whispered agian. "But I'm not your mother." She looked at the sky, at the night that made the clouds an assortment of different dark shades. In the moon, she found his face, imagining his wicked grin and the words meant only for her. "I'm only fifteen." she managed, her voice hurt and desperate. "I'm still a kid myself." shoulders shaking, Amy held her face in her hands. "And he kissed me. And I don't know how to feel about that, either." Amy looked up at the moon, her eyes glittering pools of jade. "I can't be with him like this." she spoke whole-heartidly. "I just can't. It's wrong."

Swallowing what was left of her pride, she admitted. "But I do love you." The words were tender and bruised, and she realized that she had reffered to both of them with this one simple confession. Both the twins, and Sonic. Amy wiped her eyes. "I'll be back for you." she spoke to the moon. "But I have something I need to do, first." touching her heart, she pleaded. "Forgive me."

And with that, she turned and continued to run.

* * *

"And then I left." Cream whispered. Tails nodded and watched the little rabbit draw her knees up to her chest, breathing unevenly. 

Tails paused. "You know, I'm worried." he frowned. "It's a wonder you haven't gone into shock."

Cream sniffled and gave a small smile when the fox scooted closer to her. Resting her head in his shoulder, her whiskey eyes began to fill with tears once more. "It's just so hard." Cream managed. Then, turning her head, she smiled. "Thank you, Tails." she whispered, and lay her head down and instantly fell asleep.

Tails listened to her breathing for the longest time. She was so tired, and hurt. His heart was nearly bursting at the sympathy he felt for her.

With a purpose, the fox grabbed her hand. He told himself that he wanted to check her pulse, but he knew it was just a lie. That he just wanted to hold her hand.

As he squeezed her hand, he tilted his head and lay a kiss on the crown of her hair. He wanted to know everything would be okay. He wanted to know that he would not be responsible for any deaths. He wanted to go back in time, back to when life was simple.

But more than anything, Tails just wanted to take away her pain.

* * *

Sonic awoke to the sound of a small voice. As he opened his eyes, he could see both children staring at him. 

Naomi had gotten some color back into her cheeks, and she seemed to be feeling a lot better. Nathaniel was beside her, only an inch taller, but way more tan and muscular. His eager and sly smile was not present, and Sonic wondered what could the little boy be so down about. But as he came around, it was clear that the other side of the bed was completely empty.

Turning around, Sonic looked to see that there was a small note on her pillow. Sitting up and snatching it, he began to read immediantly.

___Dear Sonic,_

By now I'm sure you've noticed I'm missing. Don't worry. I have not been captured, and I have not been taken hostage. I don't know exactly what to tell you, seeing as this was a decision that really could not be avoided. But I will tell you what I know to be true. It's the least I can do.

This isn't about the kiss. Well, not really.

It's really more about me. I'm confused, but not about anything you can help me with. I've sort of lost myself, somewhere along the road. You should understand, how much I need to know. Because I thought I did. I thought I was a chipper and clingy girl who fought agianst evil and was a whiz at making your favorite meals. But I've become someone different, if you haven't noticed. Someone who freezes at the site of danger and who causes an argument with you everytime we get the chance. Not fun.

__

I want to be with you. But I can't, mostly because I'm not sure that kiss was intentional or not. I don't want to be with you like this. I can't explain, but somehow I hope you understand what I'm trying to say. I shouldn't be gone long. I only have one place I need to go. Feel free to search, but you won't find me. It's a place I haven't told anyone. I'll call you, often. Please don't be angry, but I will be right back. Be sure to change Naomi's bandages, and don't let Nathaniel blow anything up.

Tell them that I love them. Will you?

_  
Don't stay there waiting for me. Keep running. I'll catch up with you later. I promise._

Love,  
Amy Rose

Sonic read the note over and over agian. He did not know what to feel. Anger? That she could just leave them like this? Happiness? That she was not taken hostage and that she was not mad at him? Sadness? Because he did not know how to help her? Envy? That she was finding herself when he had been searching his whole life? Pity? Because damn it all he knew exactly what she was talking about? 

He searched his heart. But the only word he found, was engraved in the eyes of the twins.

Empty.

* * *

The child was not a mixture of the two parents. She was her own separate thing, alive. 

"Ruby." Rouge spoke up as she held onto her new daughter tight. "Her name is Ruby. Ruby Ashley."

The girl was an echidna, with red locks of hair just like her father. But the eyes were unmistakably the same aqua color as her own. She had the smallest hands, as Rouge gave her a finger to grasp, she noted that the girl was smiling at her. After hours and hours of pain, all she recieved was a smile, before the child fell into a deep sleep. Rouge traced the line of her jaw, running her finger over the girl's small nose.

Knuckles stood over them, beaming proudly. His purple eyes were watching the girl with love and awe. "She's so tiny." he mused, as Rouge nodded.

But inside, her heart was empty. She looked at her new daughter, who had been alive for three hours, and who had already captured her heart. Was this what Amy felt for those twins? This kind of love that nearly scared the bat to death? Rouge forced herself to answer the question. If Ruby ended up harboring powers that would surely destroy the universe, would Rouge be able to kill her? Would she trade her daughter for everything and everyone she had come to know and love?

The answer was instant. A dark and stubborn, no.

Rouge jumped. She could not afford to think like this! She panicked. She had chosen her side!

Knuckles piped up, unaware. "Mind if I hold her?"

Rouge thrust the baby towards him as if she were being burned.

* * *

Amy walked along the path that had always been marked for her. 

She took notice of the sign with the multiple bullet holes shot through, and remembered how they got to be there. As she came closer, she started to remember the trees. Like the one bent so bad that it touched the bottom of the forest floor, and the one that twisted over itself so much, that it was the easiest tree to climb. She started to remember the smells. Like the smell of smoke, and of fresh pine and harnessed dew.

As she approached the house, she saw that the place had not changed. The random lawn furniture in the backyard was exactly as she left them, and the front door was still painted the darkest of blues, it was as if she never left. Amy paced herself, going to the door with extreme caution. Feelings were flooding her, ones of regret, of anger, of sadness, and of longing. Amy refused to cry, because she had not come here to cry.

As she knocked on the door, she was instantly brought back to a time when she was seven. Where she kissed boys on the cheek behind picket fences and made them swear not to tell. Where she had gone to the carnival and eaten cotton candy until her stomach nearly exploded. And when she was eight, where she walked out of this door, this time permanantly. Amy listened to the doorknob turn, and she faced herself for what she might see.

When the door opened, Amy looked to see a very pretty but old woman. She was her height, with long braided dark hair that was on the verge of turning a smoky silver. Her eyes were large, the same black as her quills. Her skin was tan and slick, her face round and cheeks pink, with shaking hands and the softest of smiles. Amy ducked her head as she looked up, making sure the woman could not see her face.

The woman paused. "How may I help you?" she asked tenderly, a strand of hair from her braid breaking free and falling over her shoulder. Amy lifted her eyes, before finally resting them on the old woman. Her eyes were desperate for the words she needed to hear, and as Amy nervously grabbed a lock of pink hair, she began to twist it around. The old woman took one look at her face, and her eyes became saucers. She gasped, hands flying over her mouth, her whole body shaking now. "Amy?" she whispered, as if she could be an illusion. "Is that really you?"

Amy only offered a smile. "Is the door still open?" she asked.

But she never got an answer. Suddenly, the old woman was clutching her tight. Her dark hair settled over Amy's shoulder, as she hugged the woman back with just as much force. She was waiting for what the woman would say. Had she heard what she had done? With the twins? Amy breathed in the smell of herbs and oak. Tears were suddenly pricking her eyes, as she tried so hard to keep them at bay. But they were taking over her whole vision, and blocking her throat.

Finally, Amy swallowed. "I missed you, Rose." she admitted. Before she broke down and let the tears fall freely. Soon she was crying hysterically, wishing she could stay in the arms of her grandmother forever.

* * *

A/N (about the chapter): Before you say anything! I tried to make Amy's reaction as sensable as possible. So I asked all of my chick friends and asked them: 

If you almost lost your child, and you were dealing with a whole lot of absolutely devastating issues, and your best friend kissed you, what would you do?

And almost all of them responded with: Be angry!

And then I watched my favorite episode of Degrassi, and I wrote it!


	12. Chapter 12

**_A/N: _**azngirlchibi is back from her trip to the U.S. She is very tired because she has had only 12 hours of sleep total in four days because her tour guide kept waking her up at 5 in the morning after sleeping at 1 in the morning, and now she has gone crazy and is referring to herself in third person.

Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

_**

* * *

**_

_**"Have you ever been hurt and the place tries to heal a bit, and you just pull the scar off of it over and over again?" **_

_-Rosa Parks_

_

* * *

_

_She wasn't sure how it happened… but she did know one thing._

_It wasn't supposed to have happened._

_She wasn't supposed to be covered in blood._

_And Sonic wasn't supposed to be dying in her arms._

_"No, no, no!" The words were burning her salty, tear-stained lips. "No, Sonic!" She shook him, but his eyes were still closed, those eyes that she had always longed to read, longed to understand, but now… now… now she would no longer see anything in them but death._

_"Sonic, why? You weren't supposed to leave me…" She sobbed, feeling the pain wrack through her body as if determined to break every bone inside her. And she would deserve it, she knew. It was all her fault that Sonic was dying, even if she couldn't remember how, or why. That didn't matter anymore. _

_Nothing mattered except that Sonic was going to die._

_Suddenly, Sonic's eyes flew open. Amy gasped. A trickle of blood escaped his cracked, bloodless pale lips as he whispered to her:_

_"You weren't supposed to leave me either…"_

_Amy cried again. It felt like her heart was being cleaved in two. "I'm sorry, Sonic!" she sobbed. She wanted to punish herself. She wanted to cause herself so much pain that she was blinded by it, that she could no longer remember that Sonic was dying. But as much as her heart felt like something was ripping it out of her chest, Sonic was still staring at her, boring holes into her skull._

_"Why… did you leave me?" he asked, his voice barely loud enough to be heard above her crying._

_"I don't know! I don't know anymore…" She shook her head viciously from side to side as if determined to snap her neck in two. The iron smell of blood made her want to throw up, made her head pound as if someone was drumming against the inside of her head. She let the hurt course through her body like a raging hurricane, letting it tear her slowly from the inside out, because she wanted it to end. She wanted everything to end right now; she didn't want to live anymore!_

_She didn't deserve life._

_"Sonic!" she heard herself shout over and over again, until her throat ached. "Sonic, Sonic!" she shouted, as if it would scare death away, as if death might pity her and decide to leave Sonic alone, or that it might take her instead…_

_But Sonic merely smiled at her, smiled as if he wasn't dying, as if he had finally run so fast that nothing could catch him. "Bye Amy…" _

_"No!" she screamed, but Sonic's face rolled over so that his cheek was pressing against her lap, so that his lifeless eyes were staring at her stomach. _

_And still she screamed, even though Sonic couldn't hear her anymore. She screamed, because Sonic had run, run so fast to a place that she couldn't reach, finally run so fast that she couldn't catch him anymore._

_She screamed because this wasn't supposed to happen._

_She screamed because it was all her fault._

_She screamed because Sonic the Hedgehog was dead. _

_

* * *

_

… And she was still screaming, screaming as if her life depended on it…

_"Really _now, if you would just stop thrashing for _one second, _dear…"

Amy gasped, the air rushing into her lungs. Why wasn't she dead? Why was she still living after doing that terrible thing… after she had killed Sonic, after he had died for her? Why was she still alive?

Suddenly, her covers were torn away from her body, leaving her shivering from the cold. But just as quickly as the cold came, she was warm again, and she realized that her Grandmother was hugging her tightly.

"I… I…" Amy stuttered, trying to tell her she was sorry for waking her up. But her words turned into tears that ran down her already sodden face.

"It's just a nightmare," she heard her Grandmother whisper, patting her back soothingly.

"N-no it isn't," Amy said, her voice shaking into her shoulder. The steadily darkening room was blurring before her tear-veiled eyes. "It's punishment for leaving him… I-I shouldn't have left, I shouldn't have…"

She cried again, tears falling thick and fast, as if she could still see Sonic's body, his lifeless eyes, a ghost of a smile still on his face as his head rolled over…

She felt her Grandmother's head shaking on her shoulders. "Nightmares can't hurt you, only scare you." She pulled her back firmly, still powerful and lively of spirit despite her old age. "Nightmares can only scare you," she said again, wiping away her tears with her thumb. Amy felt a jolt as she remembered that Sonic had done the same that day on the plane…

Amy shook her head vigorously. "No…" she whispered. "They can hurt you too." And once again, she felt that sensation of wanting everything to end, of wanting to hurt so much that the pain numbed everything else…

She hardly felt those soothing hands retreating from her. The mahogany of the bed stand gleamed softly in the fading light, the smell of wood reminding her of her childhood. But the musty smell kept reminding her that it had been unused for a long time, as if it had been waiting patiently for her to return… She shook her head again, wanting to be rid of those thoughts, but the thought and smell of blood barged in right after. She had told herself that she had not come here to cry, but somehow, she had known that coming back wasn't going to make her happy either.

She sighed, the last traces of the salty tears leaving her tongue. She didn't want to be back here… why had she come back? She couldn't remember.

"You don't want to be back here, do you?"

Amy looked up. Grandmother Rose was smiling at her sadly. She flinched. The smile reminded her of Sonic's in her dream…

She looked away. "It's… not that I don't want to be back here with you…" She could feel the heat of her Grandmother's eyes on the side of her head. "It's just that… I don't want to be back in this house…"

"Oh, is that it?" Amy looked back. It was almost pitch dark now, the last rays of sunshine draining away in the distance, making her Grandmother's near-sighted eyes glow bright green in the darkness.

Amy nodded, a little ashamed. "I just… it's just… I don't like my memories here," she finished in a mumble. She shivered, as if she could hear the shattering of pottery, the screams of her parents, begging as they told her to hide, told the monster that walked in to spare her. Then the bang of gunshots, blood splattering her new, green dress, the flash of red eyes…

She drew up her legs, resting her forehead on them, not wanting anyone to see her tears anymore.

"Rose, I killed Mum…" Her voice was low, hoarse, trying to conceal her sadness. "When… when Metal Sonic walked in, I should've gone quietly… I shouldn't have tried to fight back, then maybe Mum wouldn't have walked in to block the doorway and saw us…"

She sniffled. "He shot Mum. Right to the heart. There was so much blood everywhere, and then he stepped over her towards me..."

"Enough."

Amy was startled into looking at her Grandmother, whose eyes were blazing. "I know very well how your parents died," she said coldly. "I do not… do not need reminding…"

Amy bit her lip hard, drawing blood. "I… I'm sorry…"

Her Grandmother glared. "You did _not _kill your parents."

Amy stood up, towering over her. "Yes I did!" she shouted. "Didn't you just hear me? I should've just gone with him! Then she'd… she'd be still alive!"

Her Grandmother stood up too, even though she only reached up to Amy's shoulders. Her eyes crackled with anger. "Did you really think that she'd just let him take you? As soon as she'd have heard that you were gone, she would've chased after you anyway! You should be _proud _of having mother like her! She knew she died protecting her child! And she would _not _want her only child ashamed of herself, of her _own mother!"_

"I'm not… ashamed of my mother…" she said, slightly abashed.

"You have a strange way of showing it!" her Grandmother snapped.

"But then… then it's still my fault either way!" Amy argued. "She would've died saving me either way…"

"_Why _are you so bent on blaming yourself?" her Grandmother asked angrily. "Look, were you the one who built the monster who shot them? _No, _you weren't! Are you saying that you wished that you were never born? Are you saying that your motherwished that you were never born?"

"She probably did after she died…" Amy mumbled darkly.

Her Grandmother turned sharply to the window. For a second, it seemed like she was at a loss of what to say as the moonlight streamed in through the open window, making the few streaks of white in her quills look like they were made of the purest moonlight.

Amy turned away from her. Suddenly, she heard her say, "You're just like your mother. Fragile as glass, and more stubborn then an oak."

The pink hedgehog's mind blanked in surprise. She had never heard her grandmother talk of her mother before. She usually avoided talking about her at all costs. And her expression was soft as they looked at her face.

Gently, she continued, the harshness in her voice gone. "She never cried around anybody. She put up a strong front, made it as if nothing in the whole wide world could hurt her. But you know, I think she also cried more than anybody in the whole world as well…"

Her voice trailed off. Amy looked out the window, more for something to look at then actually because she wanted too. Stars were starting to peep out through the curtain of night. The streets were completely black, except for a pinprick of light from a distant window, letting the soothing darkness wrap it's velvet arms around Amy.

"But that's beside the point," said her Grandmother, her voice suddenly sounding business-like. Amy looked at her curiously. "From what I've been hearing, you've made yourself quite a life after leaving this house, and after that Sonic character saved you, didn't you?"

Amy smiled, but there was a trace of bitterness in the way she said, "I left that life too, Grandmother…."

There was a pause. "I don't want to be the cause of anymore deaths, Grandmother…" Amy whispered softly. A light wind blew through, and she was instantly reminded of Sonic, and the twins. "I'm raising two children who will destroy the world; I threw away my life of comfort and friends for them, now the whole world's against me except for one person… why did I do it?"

Her Grandmother smiled at her, and once again, she felt herself being reminded of Sonic. "Maybe those two twins _are _your world, Amy…"

Amy stared at her for a few moments. "But then… why has Sonic followed me?"

Her Grandmother's smile merely grew wider. "Maybe it's because _you're _his world…"

* * *

It took Sonic five full seconds to realize that it had all been a dream, and that his heart really was still beating in his chest, and that Amy… Amy wasn't here. 

Sonic slumped back into the pilot seat of the plane. His eyes turned up to the glass that covered both him and the twins and they slept through the night. He could still see the cracked glass, crudely repaired by him, making it look light the moon had spun a web on the sheet of glass.

He buried his face in his hands. It was as if as soon as Amy had gone, the nightmares had pounced on him, waiting for their prey to be unprotected, for the moment he was the most vulnerable.

But – and he was so ashamed of himself for even thinking it – he wanted the nightmares to continue, wanted them suck him in when he was sleeping, because those were the only moments when the hurt would stop, where he would catch one glimpse, just one glimpse of Amy. Of him protecting her, of her hurting, of her crying… but it was a glimpse all the same.

And it was the only time when he didn't have to live through the day. It was the only time when whatever the monster inside his chest was would stop squeezing at his heart, battering it around until it felt bruised and sore. It was the only time when he didn't have to put on the painfulest of empty smiles that seemed to scare Nathaniel and Naomi, because they would scurry away whenever they saw him, only holding still long enough for him to bathe, change, and feed them…

He suddenly pushed open the sheet of glass above him, climbed out and sat on the roof of the plane because he couldn't stand it. He couldn't stand the hurt that ate away at him slowly, that refused to kill him no matter how hard he pleaded for it to. He wished that something – anything – would come and end his life, because he was trapped in this body, trapped in this life he didn't want anymore, trapped with a soul that was bleeding to death inside him.

The stars shimmered above him as he closed his eyes, blocking them out. He was crying, he knew. He was crying shamelessly, even though he hated tears. He didn't think it was possible for his heart to feel so much pain without bursting, but now he knew it could.

He opened his mouth, tears sliding in and leaving their taste in his mouth as he whispered, "I miss you Amy…"

It sounded so childish, so selfish. But it was the truth, a truth that might just kill him.

But he knew that he couldn't die.

He knew, because Amy had told him to wait for her and to take care of the children. And he knew that it would be selfish to die, because he had so many people that loved him, and people that he loved back.

And suddenly, he heard Amy whisper inside him, _"And who will keep Nathaniel from blowing things up?"_

Sonic laughed and wiped his tears away. No, he couldn't cry. He had too many things to do, and he'd done too much self-pitying already.

_'Besides…' _thought Sonic, taking one last look at the star-strewn sky, _'I made a promise to wait for Amy. And I've never broken a promise before.'_

_

* * *

_

The tearing scream was still ringing in Rouge's ears when she bolted out of the bed, nearly waking Knuckles up. The red echidna merely grunted and rolled over so that she was facing his back.

She had just had a dream. No, not a dream, a nightmare. Her chest heaved up and down as her head fell back onto the pillow, her eyes watering as they stared at the ceiling. It felt like a giant weight had sat itself across her lungs, and breathing felt difficult, even more difficult then keeping her heart beating…

She couldn't remember the nightmare, not clearly anyway. But she did remember the choking smell of blood, the splashing of tears, and the scream – the pain-filled, ear-jerking, heart-shattering scream…

The white bat choked back tears. She couldn't cry, not again! She'd already cried too much, so many tears that she probably smelled like them too.

Rouge breathed in deeply. The air was balmy with the smell of rain that Tails's tiny wooden workshop soaked in greedily. He had been kind enough to let them stay in his old attic room that had a single small window, which for some reason, was always open.

She closed her eyes again, the back of her eyes dark against the night. How many times had she done this? Closed her eyes and hoped that she would never open them again? Wished that death would carry her away to another place… somewhere where she didn't have to feel her heart breaking?

She felt Knuckles turn around so that he was facing her again, his breath hot and warm on her face. _He _was the one breaking her heart. He was causing her so much pain, so much suffering. So why didn't she just… leave?

_'Because he's the one holding my heart in the palm of his hands,' _she thought bitterly. _'Because I was stupid enough to give it to him so that he could do whatever he pleases with it.'_

And right now, he was slowly cutting it in two.

Ruby started crying in the next room, but she ignored her against all her motherly instincts. _'I don't want her!' _her mind screamed. _'I don't want Ruby, I don't want Knuckles! I don't want to love them anymore, I want out!' _

But she couldn't get out. She could feel the light pressing itself around her, tighter and tighter until she couldn't breathe anymore, until she couldn't escape it.

After all, wasn't it light that you were supposed to see when you were dying?

* * *

Sonic had always hated it when he cried. That's why he had always kept himself from crying, because he had told himself that he was strong, that he was just as strong as Sonic was, and that he… he was going to make Sonic proud. 

But Sonic wasn't here. He wasn't here to comfort him, to tell him that everything was okay… So the tears fell from his eyes like rain after lightening had ripped through the sky.

It hurt so much to not be with Sonic. Tails hadn't realized that he had built so much of his life around his best friend. It was like Sonic had given the pulse to everything that he did, the life in all his projects. And now… nothing seemed to be alive anymore with Sonic gone. He no longer built machines just for the fun of it, but always because he had to.

Tails stared at the blueprints for his new plane, but he didn't take any of it in. His gloved hands were soaked from tears that seeped into blue paper, illuminated by the lone lamp at his desk. It was a new plane, probably the best that he had ever thought of. It could go almost as fast as Sonic, loaded with weapons that could easily demolish everything within radar in it's fighter mode…

'_How come I had made such a monster?'_

Tails growled in frustration and clenched his hands.

'_How come I'm going to build such a monster with my own two hands?'_

His growl grew louder.

_'How come I'm going to use it to catch Sonic?'_

His growl turned into a shout. He grabbed the blueprints off his desk, knocking over the lamp and smashing the bulb so that he was in total darkness. He crumpled the blueprints, feeling the satisfaction of paper crumbling under his hands. Then, with a yell, he threw it across his bedroom where it smashed loudly against the wall before dropping onto his bed again.

Tails clenched his fists hard until he felt his nails bite into his palm. _'Why do I have to… I don't want to…' _

He yelled again and toppled his chair over. One of the legs went spinning off, only to smack against the wall as he gave it an extra hard kick. He pushed pencils, papers, staplers off his desk where they all fell with a clang. Books went flying as his bookcase as he threw it to the ground, smashing the glass.

He breathed hard. The glass from the bookcase had cut deeply into his hand, leaving a stinging wound along the back of his hand.

"Tails…?" came a timid voice.

Cream had opened the door just a crack. A sliver of light from the hallway fell across the gleaming glass, and it glinted harshly in the yellow light.

"Oh, Cream…" he said faintly. He lowered his hands, and wiped the tears from his face. "C-Come in… and close the door, would you…?"

Cream did as she was gold. Her wide brown eyes eyed the wreckage of the room, the glass that sprawled across the white carpet, the broken potted plant with dirt that had spilled out…

"S-sit down," said Tails, his voice stammering as he gestured towards his bed.

The rabbit carefully stepped over the bookcase, avoiding the glass. She sat down on the bed creaking from her weight. She could feel Tails's piercingly blue eyes watching her, waiting for her reaction…

"I…" Cream started, but then she closed her mouth.

There were a few moments of silence.

"Are… you okay?" she managed to say.

A pause.

"No…" came Tails's answer. Cream looked up at him, meeting his eyes. "No, I'm not okay…"

Suddenly, his voice choked. Cream stood up, wrapping her arms around his neck, and she felt tears spill on her shoulder.

"Cream… I don't… I don't…"

"I know…" Cream whispered. "I don't want to either. I want them back."

Amy had always hated it when she cried. She told her that she hated it when she was sad… because, after all, she was there for her, so there was no need for tears.

But Amy wasn't here. There was nothing keeping her heart from being gashed by sadness, nothing to keep the blood from flowing away from her.

So she cried too, even though she told herself that she couldn't anymore.

It just hurt too much not to.

* * *

**_A/N: _**Okay, I'm done being crazy. It was actually pretty fun going to the U.S. Never saw building so high before, except in Hong Kong. It was a bit overwhelming, but it was still fun, even though I was half-asleep most of the time. And my poor brother threw up all over me on the tour bus... wrecked my Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows book and made me smell like vomit, so my sympathy is a bit limited. My parents promised to replace the book for me though... (sigh). Well, at least I had Sonic Rush to lessen the boredom. Especially when our tour guide was talking - Gods, his English AND his Chinese both sucked. He stammered like we were going to eat him or something... 

But seriously, the U.S is cool, even though everything in the city's like, fenced in and/or off-limits. You guys who are living there are lucky peoples!

And sorry for not replying to reviews, I've just been too tired, and The Queen of Aces obviously can't because she doesn't have the review reply link... but the two of us still really appreciate your reviews and suggestions, and I'll get back to replying as soon as I can :)

Oh, and anyone who spots the stupid plot error I made in this chapter gets a big cookie!

Thanks for reading!

The Queen of Aces

azngirlchibi


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Hey, ya'll. Wass up? The Queen of Aces is in the hiz-ouse. Jk, just joking.

I am currently watching: The bride of Chucky, while trying to figure out my active ankles. You know they're mandatory now? Well, I didn't put them on right yesterday, during the game, and I scraped my ankles raw. They are a bloody mess, and now I have to go spike some more balls. Haha, ow. I have bruises in places I didn't know I had!

And cheerleading! DO NOT GET ME STARTED!

Whatever, enjoy the chapter.

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

_"I'll come back.  
I always come back...  
But dying's a bitch."_

* * *

_The story so far..._

_Sonic and Amy has had their far share of troubles so far after running away to protect the two mysterious twins that appeared on Amy's doorstep. They all know that the twins - or, at least, Nathaniel - are dangerous - one meeting with Shadow was more than enough proof for anyone. _

_The two are haunted by guilt - the guilt of leaving their friends in turmoil and hunting for them, the guilt of loving the twins, and the guilt... of loving each other. Sonic seems to have gone too far one day after kissing Amy by impulse, and the pressure crashes down onto Amy. She runs away, leaving Sonic, leaving the twins, leaving all the love she had worked so hard for. _

_She runs to her Grandmother's house, hoping to find happiness... or just peace, which would've been good enough for her. Instead, nightmares haunt her - not just her, but Sonic and the rest of the crew as well._

* * *

I want them back. She had told him. While she had cried, she had whispered, silently. But I have you. 

She had fallen asleep listening to the news, her head lying on the pillows of her folded hands, legs curled beneath her and her breathing coming deep and soft.

Tails grabbed the blanket that hung over the arm of the couch and draped it over her small sleeping form. Cream didn't wake, only curling tighter, holding onto the blanket as one of her ears twitched. The skin right beneath her eyes was still red from her crying. But she looked so pretty. Tails didn't fight the smile that slowly took over his features, and he could feel the weight of the world being lifted from his shoulders, if only for a moment.

Knuckles and Rouge had not come home to his attic tonight. They claimed they had found their own home, and thanking him for his hospitality, they told him that the baby would not be keeping him awake anymore. For this, at least, Tails was grateful.

Sitting down beside her, Tails stroked Cream's smooth hair, his finger beginning to trace letters. He wrote a letter to her, as if hoping it could really sink into her mind, making it so he could tell her without speaking one word. He wrote about the constellations of stars, of the galaxies that were thought to exist beyond a border. He wrote down the way he felt when she smiled at him, using words that she would be able to understand. He told her that things would get better for them, that one day, no one would hurt  
anymore.

He wrote about how much he wanted her to stay. That he didn't want her to go back up to the North, that he had come to need her, and it was then that he wrote, that she was the reason he stayed. He drew memories; a bouquet of times they had shared that would actually be enjoyable to think about. When he hoped this was enough, he stopped, leaning down and laying the smallest kiss on the corner of her smiling lips.

As he wandered into the kitchen, he thought about his best friend. What would he be doing right now? Would he be tucking those two children into bed, telling them stories that would send them into a frenzy of adventurous and impossible dreams? What were their names again? Nathaniel, Tails remembered, and...Naomi. Yes, they would be a year old by now. Probable speaking in bad grammar in their whole sentences. They might even be running, maybe they have even learned about who they really are. Tails leaned against the doorway, half wishing he knew these things, half wishing they were someplace easy to find.

Maybe Sonic was learning things about Amy, the same way he was learning things about Cream. Was he falling in love with her? Or did the closeness prove to them both that they were not meant to be? In some corner of his mind, Tails had secretly hoped his older brother would fall for the pink maiden. And it seemed every year he seemed to open up more, share a secret smile or two.

But apparently, they were closer than anyone else had thought.

After all, why else would Sonic do this to them? Morals were not the only reason, Tails sighed as he fumbled through the dark. Maybe it was because he had been faced with the decision to let her go, or come with her, and he had chosen the ladder. Maybe it was because Amy meant more to him than Sonic was willing to admit.

Sneaking a glance back into the room, Tails watched Cream's face, and turned away. He didn't want the earth to be destroyed; he didn't want the death of a million planets to be because he was not capable to killing two people. He was nine, and already, he had fallen in love and lost her to destiny. But he had gotten over it? Hadn't he? Why couldn't those two hedgehogs see that it was almost the same? That they too, would eventually move on. Two children dying did not mean the end of the world. Quite the contrary.

Even Amy would move on. As much as she held on, even she would have to let go.

Ruffling his fur, the fox breathed. "I wonder if-"

His thought was immediately cut short by the startling sound of the telephone ringing. Tails jumped, the sudden noise nearly giving him a heart attack. Fearing it would wake up Cream, he answered it before it could ring the second time. "Hello?" he whispered, a twinge of anger in his voice. He waited for nearly ten seconds before the voice replied.

"Hey."

There was no mistaking who it was. Tails gripped the phone, his heart pounding. Sonic, he thought, before shaking his head. "Why are you calling me?" Tails asked, but there were too many emotions in his voice, it betrayed his facade. Tails swallowed. "I could easily trace the call back. I'd know exactly where you are, you'd be captured in five seconds flat."

And the blue hedgehog simply replied. "Yeah." his voice seemed strange, empty. "I know."

But even Tails heard the words behind it: I don't believe you will.

Tails' face tightened. "What do you want?"

"To talk." Sonic sighed. "That's all. I just wanted to talk." after awhile, he spoke again. "How is everyone?"

He didn't play dumb. He didn't say what was on his mind: 'Apparently, you don't give a damn.' The thought was overwhelming. 'Apparently, there's only one person you care about. And she's going to be your death.' Tails breathed. 'Amy is going to be your downfall, but you could care less.'

Instead, the fox told him. "Rouge and Knuckles had a baby. Her name is Ruby. Ruby Ashley." he spoke to the hedgehog with the calmest tone. "Cream is all alone. Vanilla disowned her, and now she's nearly withering away right in front of me." Tails shook as he mentioned the rabbit, the words always in his mind but never spoken out loud. "Shadow is the same."

Sonic's reaction was simple. "Oh."

Tails sat down, still holding the phone. "Yeah," he whispered. As the silence overtook them both, Tails managed. "How is Amy?"

On the other side of the phone, Sonic frowned as he sighed into the pillow. He thought of Amy, of her eyes, the beauty of her simple movements. Sonic rolled over on the other side, switching the phone to the other ear. "I wouldn't know." he breathed. "She ran away." in the next hour, he explained the entire situation. He told Tails about the letter he had found, and about the impulsive mistake of kissing her. "At the time," Sonic explained. "It just felt so right."

Tails hated himself for being curious. "And now?"

"She's gone." Sonic replied. "Apparently, it wasn't so right." Frowning, he looked at the sleeping form of the twins. "They miss her. Especially Nathaniel. It's amazing, how much she has done for all of us. Without her here, we're all lost and confused." he told Tails what he would never tell Amy herself. "What if she doesn't come back?"

Tails waited for the longest time. He snuck another glance at Cream, wishing that he could be next to her. 'Sonic, you're hurting her,' he thought, angrily. 'And I just might hate you for that. We've been crying over you, we are miserable trying to hold onto you. But you still refuse to come back. You have chosen your own fate.' Tails glared at the empty air. 'We don't deserve this.' he blinked, thinking of Cream. 'She doesn't deserve this.'

Finally, in the smallest voice, Tails replied.

"That's not my problem." he spoke, and set the phone down, breaking the last connections between him and his former best friend.

* * *

The morning came sooner than she'd hoped. 

Stumbling out of bed, Amy wiped her eyes raw and forced herself to breathe. It had been so real, the nightmare. But she knew by the way her heart was still beating, that nothing bad had happened in the wake of her sleep. She knew that he was still alive, simply by the way she was still able to breathe. The sun was shining bright, warming her face as she pulled the curtains open to let the entire room flood with light. Tucking a stray lock of pink hair away from her face, Amy looked at the bedspread, the one with pink flowers and glittering drops of sunshine. She remembered having to make up her bed first  
thing on every Saturday morning.

She could even remember sneaking out this very window to go play without being noticed. This made Amy smile, a breaking emotion settled over her sadness, as she breathed and rubbed her hand over her cool exposed stomach. She was hungry, and by the smell that was slowly making itself known, Amy knew that Rose had made her breakfast. As she came out of her room, she wondered what she should say to her grandmother.

Running her hands over her face, she thought about it again.

It scared her, that nightmare. How much she had wanted to just, die. Despite the fact that she had a son, and a daughter, they had not even entered her mind until after she had awoken. In that moment, she was willing to throw it all away just to be with him. But what about Nathaniel? And Naomi? She wanted them both in her arms. As for Sonic, she wasn't so sure. She was so confused. She was supposed to come here, to find herself, but all she was seeing was who she used to be. Amy hated herself for being so weak, just at a simple nightmare. That was all it was, a nightmare.

But still...it felt so real. She could have sworn on her own grave that Sonic had really died. Rose should not have to be burdened with her foolish worries; she had enough to worry about. Amy made her way to the kitchen, before seeing that her grandmother jumped at her appearance. As she turned, she could see that she was holding onto something. A doll, a beautiful life-sized porcelain doll. It had cherry red hair, and enchanting blue eyes, along with a baby blue dress. Rose motioned towards her, and as she approached, she settled the doll in her arms. It reminded Amy so much of Naomi, even as she traced the cool fake skin.

Rose smiled. "I bought that for you a couple of years ago." she watched her as if she might be someone else. Amy held the doll, as Rose spoke. "I missed you so much. I kept thinking, every time a little girl knocked on my door, that they would turn around and it would be you." tears filled the woman's eyes.

"It never was, though." Amy looked down at the doll, wondering things that she could not possibly describe.

"I was thirteen when you bought this." Amy blinked. "I probably wouldn't have liked it." running her finger over the long eyelashes, she smiled. "It's beautiful."

Rose came closer. They were almost the same height now. Amy watched the old woman as she laid a tender hand on her face. "And now you've run away again." closing her eyes, she gave the smallest laugh. "Isn't it ironic? The way you run away from the people who love you when you're looking for yourself." taking her hand away, she sighed. "You remind me so much of your mother." Her eyes sparkled. "Why did you come back?"

Amy clutched the doll, hiding her face through her bangs. "I was hoping to find..." she held on tighter. "I just wanted..." she trembled. "I don't know." Looking up, Amy managed to smile. "Would you like to see the pictures I brought you?" she asked, as Rose nodded. Making their way to the living room, Amy spread the pictures she had brought like an offering. Giving her grandmother the childhood of her only kids, in exchange for the one she had foolishly given away.

The first one was of Nathaniel at a few months old. Looking over his shoulder, the little boy was grinning wickedly, his mouth open in an amused laugh. From this angle, she could see his birthmark on the small of his back. Rose eyed the picture. "Oh." she watched. "This is Nathaniel?" Amy nodded. "How old is he now?"

Amy felt a sense of pride. "He's one. He's already speaking. He can walk." she told her grandmother things she couldn't have known by looking at the picture. She showed her others, until she reached her most recent ones. "He loves music." Amy recited. "His eyes sparkle when he gets excited. His middle name is Oliver. When he cries, his tan skin turns purple, and he hates to take baths. His favorite show is something about a cow who loves to play with other barnyard friends." she smiled. "When I hold him, he likes to rub my earlobe, and he can do a front flip."

Rose took all this in with just as much enthusiasm. "My." she breathed.

Amy took out her second set of pictures. "This is Naomi Rose-Mary." Amy laughed. "She is the most beautiful baby girl I have ever seen." touching the doll, she explained more. "She loves heights. When she hurts, she bleeds." Her eyes shook. "Her favorite color is purple, she loves Mickey Mouse pancakes." Amy turned away. "She loves show tunes, and she knows every Disney princess under the sun." touching the top of the doll's head with her shaking lips, Amy finished. "She has no powers. But she is every bit as brilliant."

As she moved on, she found that she had brought pictures of Sonic. "Oh." Rose blushed a graceful pink. "I can see why you like him." she awed. "He..." she breathed. "He must be so amazing."

As Rose waited for details, Amy found herself searching for words to describe him. Finally, she decided. The word fitting perfectly with her feelings. "Yes." Amy whispered, smiling. "He is mine."

* * *

The child would not stop crying. 

Rouge desperately rocked her baby, sobbing out lullabies that were lost along her screams. Ruby writhed in her grasp, still new to this world, wrinkled and ugly, face red and crying as though the whole world was after her. Rouge cursed in her mind as the child suddenly lurched forward, spewing up her lunch all over the front of her shirt. Not that it mattered, she wasn't going anywhere. Rouge growled as she angrily rocked Ruby closer to her, patting her stomach hatefully as the baby burped.

Ring around the rosey...

She hadn't slept in days. She had lost five pounds in three days because the child did not even allow her to eat. Her daughter cried and cried all day long, only giving her mother a few precious hours of quiet when she slept. She spit up everything she ate, it seemed, and every time Rouge turned around, there was another diaper to change or she was hungry or she wanted to be held. Rouge did not know why her baby was crying half of the time, and only satisfied her needs when they were obvious.

Pocket full of pansies...

She was hurting everywhere. Her entire body stretched like a stupid balloon, especially her bust, which had nearly swelled so much that she felt she was about to explode at any minute. She dreaded every feeding; knowing her daughter would latch onto her so roughly and greedily that it left her crying from the pain. Rouge imagined she was drinking from the bowl of her heart, sucking it dry until she might at well be dead. And even then, she always wanted more. Ruby was a devil child, Rouge was convinced. It was in her evil smirk before she started to cry, or in her dark chuckle as she quieted as soon as she was put in someone elses' arms.

Still screaming, Rouge suddenly flung the child away from her, holding her at arms length as she stared straight into her own demise. "You filthy brat." She addressed, as the baby stopped, eyeing her with her own eyes. Rouge tightened her grip, feeling a surge of happiness when a look of fear passed into her daughter's eyes. She wanted her to see how much she was hurting her own mother. How Rouge didn't want her. "I hate you." the words passed so easily, she gave a laugh and said it again. "You hear that? I hate you." the baby tilted her head, as Rouge tightened her grip even more, making marks on the  
exposed skin of her daughter's underarms. "I hate you so much."

Ashes, ashes...

"Eg." The baby whimpered, as Rouge begun to go out of her mind. She started lightly shaking the child, watching her head being thrown back and frontward. Rouge growled, shaking her even harder. All the time, she was sobbing. "Why did I have you!?" she screamed. "Why does everyone want to watch me suffer!?"

Then, the child began to scream. Wretched sobs that finally broke the last of Rouge's sanity. Planting a hand over the girl's mouth, Rouge shook her lightly again. "Stop crying!" she was balling, unaware of what she was doing. She held the child's nose and mouth tight. "Stop! Stop! Stop!"

The little girl suddenly slumped in her arms. For nearly an hour, Rouge stood there, still out of her mind. When at last, she seemed sane; she looked down to find that Ruby was still. There was a huge bruise across her mouth, and her nose was red, her skin even paler than normal. Rouge concluded that somehow, she had put her daughter to sleep at last. Carrying her to the nursery, the bat lay down Ruby, before turning away in hopes of catching an hour of sleep.

We all fall down...

But as she entered the bedroom, Knuckles announced that he was home. Rouge stilled, cursing and waiting for the sobs that would force her back. But nothing came. Rouge smiled out of pure relief. Knuckles entered the bedroom, eyes bright. "Where's Ruby?" he asked, as he showed his wife the teddy bear in his arms. "I have a surprise for her."

We all fall down...

Turning her heavy and exhausted body, Rouge faced him, bringing a single finger and placing it over her rounded mouth. "Shush," Rouge informed. "I've finally put her to sleep."

* * *

"How are you?" She asked him, as the blue hedgehog smiled at the sound of her voice. 

"We're holding up." he managed. "How are you doing?"

Amy smiled, clutching onto the phone with one hand while she led a horse to the stable with the other. Her grandmother called the horse: Winry. Amy had rode Winry all day, surprised that a creature with such low speed could make her feel so alive.

Amy listened to the sound of children laughing, and took a second glance at her grandmother, helping a child onto a small pony. She watched the image of her father in the cornfield become dark through the setting sun. She wanted to stay, now, that the nightmare was over. Because she felt more at home than she had in her entire life. Her father had even nodded at her, and she learned that he helped raise money for children for cancer when he wasn't too busy working at the factory. Amy secretly hoped that maybe she could even get him to smile at her.

Finally, she spoke. "It is so beautiful here." she stroked the long mane on her horse, giggling. "I wish you could see it." she whispered, frowning.

"I would love to see it with you." Sonic replied, knowing full well that he couldn't. "What is it like?" he just wanted to hear her voice.

Amy described the hills, the same color as her eyes, and the sky that was the prettiest shade of sky blue. "You've never been here." she replied. "You wouldn't have been able to leave." Sonic tightened. Amy continued. "There's a horse here, the one that looks exactly like the one in Nathaniel's storybook. You know, the one Naomi always used to steal from him?" Her eyes softened. She decided to give him a piece of information. "My dad is here."

Silence overtook them both. Then, Sonic whispered. "What is he like?"

Amy sunk into his voice. "He has skin the color of honey." she described. "He has black hair, but my eyes. He has the same three bangs as I do, but he is so handsome. He calls himself Leighton." Amy smiled. "He reminds me so much of you."

Sonic blushed. "When are you coming home?" he asked, his voice tight.

Amy looked around, unable to say. "Soon." she finally replied. "Real soon. I still haven't found what I'm looking for." she mentioned nothing of her nightmare. But simply patted Winry on the back as she spoke. "Just believe me when I say I'm coming back."

Silence.

"I had a horrible nightmare." Sonic spoke without thinking.

Amy stilled. "Nightmares can't hurt you." she remembered Rose, of what they had spoken of last night. Amy frowned. "It will be okay."

Sonic held the phone close. "You didn't see what I saw."

"See-Saw!" she heard Namoi giggle in the background.

Amy laughed. Sonic didn't. "What are you looking for?" he asked, as Amy waited. The answer still never came.

Finally, with a sigh. Amy replied. "You are falling in love with me." She spoke soft. "In the middle of a great tragedy. Which is exactly how it's going to end. In a great tragedy."

"I am not." Sonic blushed the deepest red. "You're my best friend." when he said this, he stopped.

Amy replied. "And you're my best friend." she said this with a beautiful smile. "For years, I wanted you to fall in love with me. Now that you are, I don't want it." she sighed. "I do, but...not yet. Not until this whole mess is over." Amy frowned. "Maybe if I stay away long enough, you'll fall out of love, for now."

Sonic blinked. "If you stay away any longer, I will personally go insane." He listened to her laugh. "You can't tell me what to feel."

Amy felt her heart ache. Suddenly, she recited. "2819 Georgia Lane, in Judaea Valley. The house with the red shutters." she told him her location, before swiftly saying. "Come here, meet my family, listen to my childhood." She grinned. "And let's see how much you love me then."

* * *

_**A/N: **_Azngirlchibi. I owe everyone a huge apology for not posting for... well, forever. This chapter had been done for a long, long time, but I just never found the time to post it. I'm trying to juggle school, social life, and family life here... Not easy, though fun and all. Fanfiction writing is just... not exactly high on my list of priorities... sorry guys. Sorry Marianne. I know that you're really counting on this, but I'm going to go crazy if I have to fit in everything so strictly. 

Big sighs, big apologies. That's all I can really give you guys, so once again, really, really sorry. Don't blame The Queen of Aces - she's keeping up much, much better than I am.

Hope the "Story so far" section wasn't too... corny.

Sheepishly yours,

Azngirlchibi

and

The Queen of Aces


	14. Chapter 14

**_A/N: _**HAPPY THANKSGIVING! (throws turkey-shaped confetti)

To anyone who is still sticking by us after my (azngirlchibi's) little absence... THANK YOU SO MUCH! I'm so glad that some of you are still reading. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

Dedicated to Marianne

* * *

"So it didn't matter to me that we were surrounded by our extraordinarily dangerous enemies. As the clock began to toll out the hour, vibrating under the soles of my sluggish feet, I knew I was too late – and I was glad something bloodthirsty waited in the wings. For in failing at this, I forfeited any desire to live."

- Bella from "New Moon."

* * *

'_Damn, damn, damn it all!' _

Sonic felt a low, harsh growl work it's way up his throat and thrashed again against the chains holding him tightly. But far from getting looser, they seemed to grow even tighter, biting deeply into his arms.

He heard a whimper, and the growl stopped before it could escape him. He sighed instead, guiltily, and forced himself to relax his body. He whispered hoarsely, for the umpteenth time – "It's okay, Nathan, Naomi. I'll get you out of this…"

The whimpering grew even louder. He forced himself to twist his head around to stare at two pairs of frightened eyes. He growled again as the two hedgehogs clung to each other, their hands rigid on each others arms. "S-Sonic…" Naomi whispered, before a small sob escaped her. "S-scared…" She sniffed and shifted closer to Nathaniel, holding onto him with all her strength.

Instinctively, he tried to reach out his arms to touch them, but the cold, iron chains held them securely against his sides. Even if he weren't tied up, he couldn't reach them anyway. His captors had thrown them in a small cage, where they were cramped together with barely enough room to breathe.

He thrashed again, futilely. He couldn't believe it – Tails, his best friend… he hadn't believed Knuckles at first. How could he betray them? How could he…

* * *

_"Sonic…"_

_He whipped around in surprise, quickly hiding the twins behind him._

_"Hmph, so you're as… stupid as ever, I see." The red echidna stepped out of the shadowy fringes of the forest they were walking along, his violet orbs flashing in contempt._

_Sonic crouched into a defensive stance and pushed the twins even farther behind him. Despite his pushing, they still managed to peek around his legs to look at the new stranger. Nathaniel looked up at him. "Who he?" he asked him, cocking his head to the side as he studied the echidna._

_Before Sonic could answer, the echidna pulled a sharp-toothed smile. "I'm Knuckles… I'm one of your… _caretakers'_…" he deliberately avoided the word, 'parents,' "…friends."_

_"Oh…" Nathaniel suddenly pulled Naomi closer to him. Naomi stared just as curiously as her brother had. _

_"Sonic… he's scary," she whispered, tugging onto one of the blue hedgehog's long quills._

_Knuckles could hear her. "I'm scary? Now why would Sonic make friends with me if I were scary?"_

_Sonic glared at him, but it was Nathaniel who answered. "You no friends with Sonic," he said with a rather impressive accusing glare for a child._

_The smile on Knuckles suddenly vanished. He looked at Sonic. "I see you taught them some of your… sass." He smirked. _

_"How did you find us?" Sonic asked, ignoring his comments. He had a suspicion tugging at the corners of his mind… He brushed it away. He wouldn't… he was his best friend._

_Knuckles merely kept smiling. He walked closer to him at a leisurely pace. Sonic was rooted to the spot, as if the grass had suddenly anchored him to the ground. _

_"Hmm… yes, how did I know?" He flashed another smile, but it looked to Sonic like a sneer. "Let me ask you something – How can you expect someone to keep a secret for you when you've tried their heart just once too many times? How…" His voice got lower. "How do you expect someone to help you once they've been betrayed by the very person that they've trusted the most?"_

_Knuckles's sneer became more pronounced as he watched the comprehension dawn in the hedgehog's eyes. _

_"You're a fool, Sonic." His voice was low, but it carried clearly to Sonic, as if the trees around him had stopped to stare. "Haven't you realized yet? We're not your friends anymore… We're your worst enemies."_

_'Your worst enemies… Betrayed… Tails…' Meaningless words spun through Sonic's shell-shocked mind. Tails… had betrayed him? But… he wouldn't… no… He was his best friend…_

_"Tails…?" he croaked out, and the pain seemed to bury itself deeper into his chest, smashing away the numbness. _

_Knuckles was now only a few feet away from him. He growled when he said the fox's name. "That's right… no one's on your side anymore, Sonic."_

_By the time he heard the whoosh of leathery bat wings and the blur of black quills, it was already too late. _

_He felt a sharp pain in his back, and the last thing he heard was the screams of Nathaniel and Naomi. _

* * *

The sound of tears plinking against metal bars awoke him from his reminiscence. He felt a fresh surge of anger, as well as guilt. If only he hadn't called… if only he hadn't wanted to hear his voice once… just once… 

Had it been so wrong to call though? He shuddered, remembering Tails's last words – _'That's not my problem.'_

He looked around him for a moment. The lightning was dim, and it showed a small room with only one door out. He had been thrown to the floor after being chained, but extra metal clamps had been put on his legs, gluing him the floor. He could only writhe hopelessly, making the metal scrap against the cold metal of the floor.

Tails must have built this small prison, Sonic realized with a pang. What had Knuckles done to convince Tails?

The clank of footsteps against metal flooring startled him from his thoughts. He had only a few moments to compose his face into a featureless mask before a figure entered.

Knuckles.

He looked at Sonic once and smirked. "Looks like Shadow overdid it again – I told him only ropes, but he went for chains and cages."

_'So Shadow was the one who put the twins in the cage.' _He made a mental note to "thank" the black hedgehog later.

Knuckles walked slowly towards him, never releasing Sonic's emerald eyes from his amethyst ones. "Calling Tails was a very stupid thing to do, even for you. What made you do it?"

Sonic silently struggled against his bounds, but decided to keep Knuckles talking. "Just checking up on old friends. What can I say, Knuckles? I do have a social life."

Knuckles's eyes flashed dangerously, but he quickly stifled them. "Hmm… well, unfortunately for you, Tails is on our side."

"Oh, really?" Sonic twisted on of his hand painfully, and with a small "clink," he felt one of his fingers wriggle free. "I was under the impression that no one quite agrees with your way of thinking."

"Oh?" Knuckles raised an eyebrow.

"C'mon, don't tell me you haven't noticed." Another twist of his wrist, and his thumb was free. "If they were _really _on your side, you would've found us the very day we left." He decided to leave out the parts about bumping into Shadow – several times.

"And if they were really on _your _side, they wouldn't have tracked you down in the end, would've they?" The echidna snapped back.

Sonic grimaced. His pinky had snagged onto one of the rings of the chains. "I'm not saying they're on my side – just that they're not entirely on yours."

Anger seemed to flow into Knuckles like a balloon. He inflated ominously to twice his size. "They're either on my side or yours. And it's obvious they're on mine," he grounded out between his teeth.

His hand was free! Now if only he could keep Knuckles talking…

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," someone said quietly behind him. Sonic froze immediately, and slowly turned around.

He had always known that Naomi was fragile – "A porcelain doll" was Amy's favourite term for her. But he had never realized how easily Naomi could die right there and then before him. How Shadow could easily slide that silver knife across the little girl's throat and it would be over. How she would be dead without a sound or a scream.

"You have one minute, Sonic," Shadow continued as quietly as before, but somehow capturing his attention much more effectively than Knuckles had. "One minute to tell us where Amy is."

Naomi paled under Shadow's grip. Nathaniel suddenly started screaming behind his bars – how had he taken Naomi out without a struggle from Nathaniel? The little boy beat against the iron holding him back from his sister, but Shadow only had eyes for Sonic as his face struggled between defiance and horror.

"Thirty seconds."

The knife shone blindingly at Sonic's eyes. Naomi was mute with terror, too limp to even struggle. Her throat was deathly white, the colour drained from her skin.

"Ten seconds."

He remembered when Naomi was little, how she had once hung a little too much over the side of the plane and had nearly fallen. Sonic had gone from the wheel and caught her again just in time, and they had all laughed when she started crying. _"Don't worry, Naomi," _he had said, _"We'll take care of you… always…"_

"Three."

He remembered another time when he had saved Amy. He remembered how he had beamed up at him and said, with her amazingly beautiful voice, _"I wasn't afraid. I knew you were coming for me."_

"Two."

He remembered the nightmare he had, the one where he was dying… and how Amy had cried his heart out for him…

"One."

* * *

Rouge smiled, breathing in the silence as she looked at the mirror that glittered in the muffled light. 

She smiled again, almost dazzling herself with the brilliance of it. She was already looking better. The dark bruises under her eyes had all but disappeared; her figure was again slim and curved in the right places. Her fur was soft and smooth, and she was finally wearing her clothes, not the other way around.

Beautiful.

Perfect.

She smiled another dazzling smile. Even without makeup, she was still something to behold. Her ears perked up tall and straight, as if listening to some unseen sound. And she knew what she was listening to.

Silence.

Happiness.

She slid away from the mirror, and she could almost imagine it groaning in disappointment. _'Don't worry, I'll be right back,' _she thought.

She floated – almost _danced _to the kitchen. She spent a lot of time in the mirror these days. She loved looking at herself - how she was slowly getting better. She counted the days – no, the minutes that flew by. She poured herself a glass of water and drank it all in one fluid motion.

This was what she was supposed to be like. Graceful, an unearthly beauty – vainly so. But what did that matter if others were jealous of whom she was? It didn't matter – it never mattered.

With lithe steps, she walked past the many doors in the hallway, back to her and Knuckles's room where the biggest mirror was. She paused just before walking in. Maybe Ruby would like to join her. Yes, she was in the mood to be with Ruby right now.

She lifted Ruby effortlessly from her cradle in the room across from hers, and carried her back to her room.

"See?" she said to the sleeping baby. "Your mother is beautiful again. Perfect again." She looked in the mirror. It seemed so natural to be holding her now, as if she had been meant to do it from the start. But of course she was – everything was meant to be hers.

"Look, say hello," she said again, tilting the baby to the mirror. Ruby's head lolled forward lifelessly.

This didn't bother Rouge. She merely smiled. "Aww, sweetie, be good to the mirror. It wants to say hi!" She tilted Ruby back so that her head was resting against her chest, then tilted her up again to look at the mirror.

Once again, her head drooped forward.

Rouge frowned now, getting a little annoyed. "Come on, Ruby…" Her teeth were starting to grit in frustration. Why wouldn't Ruby just say "hi?"

No matter how many times she tried to get Ruby to wave at the mirror, or anything at all, she just merely bowed her head forward.

A snarl suddenly ripped through her lips. "Useless baby!" She stormed back to Ruby's room and set her down harder than necessary into the cradle. Ruby just kept sleeping. "Useless baby!" she screamed at it again, before stalking out and slamming the door behind her.

She stomped into her room, where the mirror once again greeted her.

She glared at it, and the mirror glared back.

She tried relaxing her face. The mirror did the same.

She stepped closer. So did the mirror.

She was beautiful. She was perfect. She was graceful. She was everything a woman would want to be. She was the type where any female in her right mind would flinch and look away when she saw her, but gaze longingly back when she thought she wasn't looking, wondering how she could be exactly like her.

And the mirror – it was someone who had managed to replicate her perfectly. From her manners to her clothes… to everything.

But it was one thing she wasn't.

Insane.

A slow grin crept up her lips, and the mirror copied her.

If insanity was the only thing that could make her perfect, then she didn't mind.

Not at all.

* * *

_'Something's wrong.' _She could sense it before Sonic's blazing trail of dust had even crested the hill. 

Amy jumped up, worry written on her face. He never ran so fast before, at least, he wouldn't – not with Nathaniel and Naomi. He couldn't carry the both of them on his back, and he wasn't going to risk dropping Naomi.

Her worries intensified as soon as he was in front of her, breathless…

… and without the twins.

She read the one emotion that Sonic had never been able to conceal from her immediately.

Guilt.

She felt her eyes go cold, her figure grow rigid. Her lips shut tightly over her tongue, preventing her from saying anything.

She battled with her voice for a moment, until Sonic spoke.

"Hi."

Her tongue immediately sprang into life. "Where's the twins?"

He looked away, the guilt more intense than ever.

Her eyes went cold again, but it wasn't from worry. "They _are _okay, aren't they?"

Sonic flinched away from the coolness in her voice. "Of course they are," he mumbled. It sounded like a half-truth.

"Sonic, what happened?" she persisted. She could feel a scream starting to work it's way up from deep in her stomach as her voice jumped up several octaves. "Where's Nathaniel? Where's Naomi?"

"They're… they're…" He looked at her once, then blanched and looked away from her towards the house. "Er… you have a nice home," he said feebly.

"Sonic." Her words came out harsher than she intended, but she didn't stop herself. "If that's the best you can do to try and distract me, then you're turning pitiful."

"Isn't he?" asked a sly voice behind Sonic.

Amy felt the colour drain out of her face. She looked past Sonic. "Knuckles…" her voice was hoarse.

He was the same as ever. At least… she looked harder. At least he didn't _used _to sound so… different. She never remembered him using that tone of voice before – he was usually hard-headed, and spoke with a sort of gruff kindness.

She looked at Sonic, faint with an emotion she didn't understand. Was this what betrayal felt like? "You… _told… _them where I was?"

He looked away from her, and she felt a trill of frustration as he refused to meet her eyes.

"Sonic… I…" her voice broke for a second, before she recovered. Her voice was cold again, an icy fire that lashed out at Knuckles. "Get out. Get out of my home!"

Knuckles smiled coolly. "Oh, I will. You'll just have to come with me."

Amy glared. "I'm… _not _going with you… _anywhere." _She said each word with as much venom as she could muster.

But to her surprise, Knuckles just rolled his eyes. "Do you really think I'm going to waste all that effort of tracking you down just by leaving _now?" _He smiled, a sly smile that she could not get used to seeing on Knuckles's face. "Sonic was rather useful in that department though… looks like he's not as loyal as you thought."

Amy glanced at Sonic again. "Did you… Did you _really _tell them?" She hadn't really believed it, she had just been mad…

"Yes," Sonic answered back, just as coldly as she had asked him. "I told them."

Amy could feel something in her starting to snap. "Why?"

Sonic looked away, then back at her. His face revealed nothing when he said, "You don't deserve me."

Amy snapped. _"What?" _Her face grew still, as if her heart had stopped beating. Her voice dropped. "What did you just say?"

Sonic went silence again, and she could almost imagine the raging battle going on inside his head. His emerald eyes flashed with barely concealed anxiety, but she didn't care at the moment. _'I don't deserve him?' _What was he talking about? Where was this even coming from?

Sonic was cold. "You heard me."

"I… I…" She stuttered. She felt something else inside her snap. Was it her heart or her mind? "How… how could you say that?" She could hear the shaking of her vocal cords, and tried vainly to hide it. "After… after everything we went though… You… you betray… me?" Her voice went faint, ruining the fury that she was supposed to be feeling.

Knuckles cut in. "As heart-breaking as this is, we have to leave now." He looked at Sonic once, and strangely, smiled. "Won't you come quietly, Amy?"

Amy glared. "I might not care about you _or _Sonic anymore," she spat. "But I'm not dumb. I _won't _come with you, so you can just take this… this…" she struggled for a word vile enough to describe Sonic. "Just take Sonic and _leave! Get out, get out of here!" _she screamed at them, shattering her own eardrums.

Knuckles's smile merely grew wider, even as Sonic visibly shuddered. "I was afraid of this. Sonic? Would you like to do the honors?"

Before she could react, she felt Sonic's iron grip on her shoulder.

"What? Sonic?" She was suddenly spun around, and she was nose to nose with the blue hedgehog.

What was he doing? Why was he suddenly so close? What was this disgusting… _thing… _doing, touching her? She had never felt so revolted before in her entire life, never felt the need to rip away the skin he was touching. She _hated _him. _Loathed _him. She wanted him to feel the pain that she was feeling right now!

"Get _off _of me!" she snarled at him, trying to rip away her arms. She didn't care if she really did rip off her arms, she just wanted to get _away _from him. Get away and erase every memory of him, every kind word he said, every empty promise he made, every moment that she had ever spent with him. It meant nothing now.

"I won't, Amy," he said calmly, his voice husky.

Her voice broke, and she felt an angry sob rush up her throat. "Just… just let me go Sonic!" She tugged again, his name burning on her lips. "Get off, get off, _get off!" _

"You have to come with us," he continued, as if she hadn't said anything, holding onto her arms as easily as if she was a rag doll.

"I won't! I _hate _you, Sonic the Hedgehog!"

Was she dreaming it? She saw a flash of hurt shadow his face, and for a second, she could see her own pain reflected in his eyes. For a second, she felt an odd feeling, like that time when Sonic had kissed her. But they were gone as soon as it had come, and anger took over her body again.

She twisted her arm, and she felt all her muscles screaming in agony. _"Let me go!" _

The next thing she knew, Knuckles had his dangerous spikes lightly pressed against her skull.

"You're coming with us," he whispered in her ear.

She shuddered as his breath snaked down her neck.

And then, there was nothing.

* * *

**_A/N: _**Thanks for reading Chapter 14 version 3.0. There were two earlier versions of this - I never got through with 1.0, and 2.0 just sucked. You can thank The Queen of Aces for not letting me post it up - otherwise, you'd all probably get a brain tumor for reading it. Snaps for her!

Once again, thanks to the people who have stuck by this story, and for all your wonderful reviews. I'll be thinking about you guys during Thanksgiving dinner (not that I celebrate it... I'm just there for the giant turkey :P)

Thanks for reading!

**Anonymous Reviews: **

**Ciel-Hedgehog: **Yay! Snaps for being our only anonymous reviewer! She really is unstable... and now she knows she's insane. ... Wow, I feel sorry for what we've done to her too. OH WELL:P Thanks for the input!

The Queen of Aces

azngirlchibi


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: This chapter contains ridiculous reactions and complete awesomeness. You have been warned.

Now, as a precaution, keep your hands and feet inside the cart at all times. On your right, you'll notice an exit. On your left, you'll notice a giant stack of waffles. In case of a fire, please feel free to commit suicide. Azngirlchibi and I will be your guides today, and we would like to go over some very simple rules.

One, don't ask stupid questions. Two, do not critisize just because of your raging jealousy that you will never be G's like us if you waited a million years. And three, all hot/muscular male attenders please take off all unnessasary clothing. Thank you, and enjoy the ride!

(Sips drink) ROLL THE FILM!

* * *

"...But if you're troubled and hurt  
What you got under your shirt  
Will make them pay for the things that they did! 

They said all teenagers scare the living shit out of me!  
They could care less as long as someone'll bleed  
So darken your clothes or strike a violent pose  
Maybe they'll leave you alone, but not me."

-My Chemical Romance  
"Teenagers"

* * *

**Dedicated to Marriane****

* * *

**

The first thing he felt since their separation was this: his hand gently stroking the side of her face while she dreamed.

It was a sensation that was nearly as feeble as his resistance to the way he felt about her. His fingers felt the smooth line of her jaw and traced tenderly over the uncolored regions of her cheeks. The blood had swelled from the open cut on her temple, covering her left eye and running all the way down her face, and catching in the other glove that held her steady. She was so pale, unmoving and completely unresponsive. Her skin was the color of the revolving moon, her mouth parted and astonishingly red like a wide open wound.  
He dipped the white cloth in hot water, before scraping it over the cut and watching her eyes twitch for a brief moment.

Her hair spilled through his fingertips as he set her head back down onto the bench, her neck upturning to the light and showing its elegant curve. The landscape of her collarbone was a beautiful carving that had obviously been built by a higher power, and briefly he wondered about her mother. The one she never talked about, the one who might have shared these same features. The palms of her hands were calloused but still caused an unmatchable static upon contact, her long eyelashes laying so perfectly that the small light from the cell block seemed to make her glow like a rare crystal.

But her looks were nearly as deceiving as her personality. For beyond that pretty petite face, was the mind of a warrior who lusted for a sense of control and defiance. Who loved to watch people squirm, who wanted to feel powerful, even though her eyes had the power to bring millions to their knees. Who loved to wear dresses but used language that would make a sailor gasp like a little schoolgirl in awe. Who pretended to swoon in his presence, but knocked him down to her level when she wanted them to see eye to eye. Who had a flirtatious wave that was only matched by her wicked sly grin. Her hammer was her only real trusted accomplice.

But this was Amy Rose, he figured. The only girl he loved just as much as he hated. The only girl who could immaculate him with one word but who built him up to a God-status when she praised him. You could not love Amy without hating her. And vise versa. These split traits he had just described were all things that made him smile but created a storm of anger in his chest. But he had also seen the side to Amy that no one else had, knew things that no one else knew.

He knew that her favorite food was chocolate-mint cookies, that her favorite song was 'crazy bitch' by Buckcherry. That she had a secret fear of toads and that Christmas was her favorite holiday of the year. That she could dance to Soulja Boy's 'crank that', and hated the feeling of picking popcorn out of her teeth. He knew that she was quite possibly the best mother he had ever seen; though she had herself had never had one. He knew that she loved to cook but hated to eat at fancy food restaurants. He was aware that her showers were hot enough to scar but that she loved to go skinny dipping in the freezing lake.

As he watched her hands curl around his by reflex, he smiled and wished he could stay here forever. Parting a hair away from her face, he began to whisper. "I know this looks bad.." he swallowed nervously. "I can't even tell you if we'll get out of this alive. But don't lose hope, Amy. I won't be able to say anything when you wake up, since they told me not to, but I can say it now. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. Just know that now, if anything." his words caused no reaction. He frowned. "We'll just have to wait until their guards are down...and then I'll grab the twins and you...and we'll get out of here."

The blue hedgehog swallowed hard. His fingers stroked the inside of her wrist through the metal handcuffs. "I've been thinking. We can go find a place underground...we'll dye our hair and be so cleverly disguised. We'll move into a huge city, enroll the twins in preschool, we'll have our own life. We won't ever have to be 'Sonic' and 'Amy' again. We can be anyone we want to be." He gave a sad smile. "And then you and I can get married for real, just like you always wanted. How would you like that? We'll forget about all of this. We can finally be free. And I'll be free with you."

She merely breathed, but as he reached down to touch her, even subconsciously, her skin seemed to shrink away. Her face grew irked, her mouth pouting and her hand falling dead in his. Sonic blinked. "You hate me." his mouth twitched. "And I love you. But I'll make you love me again, and then we'll be happy. You'll see." as his ears twitched, he heard the sound of footsteps making their way closer. He bent down fast, kissing her lips quick. He could not help the goofy grin that marked his face, but as he managed an emotionless mask, he caught the red echidna and his glare.

"Tails wants us in the lab." Knuckles told him. "Sounded important."

"Fine." he responded.

"Anything wrong?"

Sonic gritted his teeth. "No." he managed.

"She doesn't look nearly so disrespectful when she's asleep." The echidna noted, looking at the pink hedgehog through the bars. Sonic opened the door, before closing it behind him and walking beside him. Knuckles gave a laugh to himself. "She'll wake soon. A couple of days, at the most. Be ready for hell."

"Whatever."

"Do you hate me?" Knuckles asked, his tone void of any emotions.

Sonic thought of Amy, in the cell, sleeping silently, bound by handcuffs and bleeding. "Yes." Sonic replied, in a heartbeat. "Yes, I do."

* * *

Coming into the building where their organization was thriving, it was almost impossible not to feel the chill in the air that struck immediately after entering. 

It was all concrete walls and flooring, with no windows or access to the real world that lay outside. Shadow supposed if one were to stay here long enough and then be reintroduced to the world, their eyes would see only the gray that this place provided. Devoid of any color, it seemed a downright depressing place. Though hardly anything ever went on to make noise, this place had its own sound. Leaks in the rusty pipes caused the sound of dripping water, and this particular noise was constant, and echoed. The footsteps of people long since past had been absorbed and therefore replayed back to the  
open air.

Shadow knew that this place used to be a prison; he could tell the moment he was shown the blueprints that it had been previously used for torture and the holding of supposed evil souls. And though he had only bore witness to one tour of it, he had become an expert on this building and the parts that composed of it.

This place, this earthly hell, was marked in nine levels, each one having its own use for them and their split moral cause. Each floor holding potential for a different purpose and thus they seized it and made this abandoned building their home. Flexing his wrist, he breathed deep and allowed himself to still for one moment to catch the sounds of the dead out of respect for them. His red companion took this as a sign to be alert, and his amethyst eyes sparked.

"What is it, Shadow?" he asked, his fists that had remained clenched at his sides only tightening, the corners of his mouth working in fret. He looked so much older now, for his once youthful vibrant face, darkened by the sun, was now paler and looser. His eyes had sunken in, ringed with a soft purple that looked like deep bruises. Wrinkles at the edge of his mouth and eyes took on the appearance of someone else entirely, and since he was always angry, a scowl seemed to permanently mark his face now.

The black hedgehog turned, seeing the echidna give a smile, something that did not fit his face at all, anymore. "Nothing." he replied, before the two resumed their stroll of the ninth level in the building. Shadow kept his face straight as he thought of their newest addition to the prison cells, the entire make up of this level. She was residing in the last hallway of cells simply because that had the easiest access to the stairs that led to the  
eighth floor.

The black hedgehog turned to look at Knuckles, his ruby eyes holding in his reactions. "What do you think of her?" his question needed no clarity. "What are you hoping to accomplish by keeping her here?"

Knuckles looked at Shadow, his face set. "I would never hurt her." his face changed then, softened by this silent accusation. "What I'm hoping to do is keep her here until her anger and hate resolves, then once she sees that we were right all along, things will go back to normal. In the meantime, we'll have to deal with those children. Tails is down in the lab, running test results."

Shadow blinked, walking on.

As if Shadow had asked why, Knuckles further explained. "We don't know anything about them, or their genetic composure. One wrong move and it could spell disaster. But we'll have their weakness soon enough." turning to Shadow, his eyes hardened. "Just as well, we should convince her that we've already taken care of them."

"Of course."

The red echidna caught the break in his voice. "You don't sound too happy." he analyzed. His face grew blank with confusion. "I'd to think you would be...happy, I mean. The universe is no longer in jeopardy, and those stubborn hedgehogs will soon be back on our side again. And all of this will just be a bitter memory. Things are on the right track, I can feel it." only replied with silence, the red echidna looked down at his shoes and added with a grave voice. "Everyone hates me, don't they?"

Shadow huffed, looking away for fear of having to look at him. "What does it matter?" his voice was tough and course. "Being a good leader does not include being loved. Though your followers hate you, you are leading them down the path of victory, which they are grateful for." he spoke for them like he had any idea. Frowning, he scolded. "The opinions of others should not affect your ability to lead. Don't be so pathetic."

Knuckles sighed. "I suppose so." he accepted soberly. "I guess I'm just afraid they still feel loyal to Sonic." kicking at the ground, he told his inner fear. "That when it comes to the choice between me and him, they'll choose him." he closed his eyes. "I'm only doing what's best for them. For my daughter...why can't anyone understand that?" with a bitter tone, he thought aloud. "Why can't anyone see that I'm the good guy?"

Shadow shrugged, not knowing what to say. This was unfamiliar, and quite unwanted, territory. The two still walked, turning the corners sharply before they reached the last line of cell blocks. With determination, they approached the first one on the right, peering inside with curiosity. Their prisoner was sitting down, back pressed flat against the wall, face hidden by the long locks of pink hair that fell as she looked at her bare feet.

Knuckles grinned. "Good, you're awake. We were getting worried..." at no response, the two looked at her more closely.

Her arms were slung carelessly over her drawn knees, legs parted and the jeans she was wearing bearing holes in them. Her shirt fit well across her, the logo of some baseball team decorating the front. There was a small dripping sound, but as Shadow looked, he found it was not the pipe.

Upon further inspection, it was clear to see that both wrists, which bore handcuffs, were scraped raw and gushing a stream of bright blood. It ran down her palm, rushing across the dimensions of her hand before dripping off the ends of her fingertips. There was a large puddle gathering, and through the reflection he could see the curling smile that appeared on her face. Her teeth flashed, but as droplets of blood rippled the pool, the image was distorted once more.

Shadow and Knuckles threw open the cell door in panic, leaning over her and looking at the numerous bruises and cuts that adorned her body. As Knuckles grabbed her arm, he hoisted her onto her feet. "Oh, damn. Shadow, we've got to get her to a nurse." but as he spoke and took a few steps, tugging on her arm, she remained still. Head still bent down, her face was expressionless. Shadow stared, compelled at her behavior. As Knuckles pulled harder, he watched her body sway. "Amy, is everything alright?" he asked her, face leaking with concern. "Amy?"

But as she lifted her head, Shadow was not prepared for the look that had possessed her pretty face. Her grin was wicked, sick and utterly twisted. Her eyes were gray, the color completely deteriorated from them. Her cheeks were flushed with pleasure and her pale round face was filled with nothing but hatred. As she raised her arms, she gave a dark chuckle.

"Surprise." she gurgled out, before bringing down her bounded arms so fast that they became a blur. They struck the head of the red echidna, metal piercing his skin and blood coloring the front of her shirt. As Knuckles stilled, he fell to his knees, staring at his killer with horror before he slipped into unconsciousness and finally fell to the floor. Amy watched this with a sort of lust, before her eyes flickered towards him.

Laughing, she pulled her arms apart, the chain between the handcuffs snapped in half like tissue paper. Grinning with satisfaction, her free hand pulled the corner of her shirt up, so he saw what lay inside the waistband of her jeans. A gun. Reaching, she turned off the safety and pointed it straight at his head. All in a matter of milliseconds. Shadow silently cursed himself for being so stupid. Amy knew him, she knew which way he would go to dodge the bullet. He was completely at her mercy.

"I'll make it simple." she spoke with a blunt harshness. "Where are they?" she demanded, eyes going soft as she said the last word.

Shadow scoffed, looking at her with a sort of bitterness. "Eighth level." as she lowered her gun, he spoke directly to her. "Sonic will be guarding it."

As Amy breathed, she completely lowered her gun and gave the same bloodthirsty smile. "Not for long." she gruffly replied.

Shadow's gaze narrowed. "You won't do it." he accused. "Don't lie to yourself..."

The end of this sentence hung in the air uncertainly as a crash exploded into his mind. Shadow stared at her in morbid fear, his breaths coming in short as he looked down to see the small puncture wound right in the middle of his chest. He tried to breathe, but found he could not. As he tried, it only become more futile, blood began to trickle down form the mark that ran completely through his body. She had killed him. Looking up in horror, blood began to roll from his tongue onto his shaking lips. Amy stood there, face irked but devastatingly beautiful. Shadow closed his eyes and fell to the ground without even a quiver.

Amy lowered the gun once more, sighing. Twirling it around her finger, she walked out of the cell calmly. Only a fool would believe his words. She mused as she imagined herself, pulling the trigger and ending the life of the blue betrayer. Such fun. She grinned once more, Shadow's words echoing in her mind.

You won't do it. Don't lie to yourself.

Did he really believe she was going to let that son of a bitch live?

At the very idea, Amy stopped, shoulders shaking. Then, in the empty air of death, she threw her head back and laughed.

* * *

Nathaniel Oliver watched the way the chemicals fizzed and reacted to each other. His odd eyes stared at them for awhile, before he turned his gaze on the fox that was currently talking to a rabbit girl not too much older than him. Her hands were folded and her long ears were decorated with blue ribbons that matched the tie on her orange dress. She had brown eyes and looked nice enough. Nathaniel sighed, hanging his head. He knew by the way they built this container that they could not be heard. Turning to his twin sister, he crouched back down and observed her once more.

His sister was shaken after the earlier incident, but she had managed to fall asleep. Her tumble of curls brushed against her pale cheek as she breathed softly, her eyelashes long and still holding drops of terrified tears. Nathaniel grumbled, wishing there was something to hit. Wishing there was a ball or something to play with. Or even something to drink, for his mouth was so dry that his tongue was sticking to the roof of his mouth. His simple thoughts did not include anything about the matter at hand. His thoughts only included his thirst, his boredom, and his slight aggravation. The little toddler blinked and tried to see more of what was going on, trying to find a source of entertainment.

But the two that were in here were just talking. Just talking, they weren't even playing anything. Nathaniel wished he had his dinosaur sippy cup, and a pillow. He wished that they had a television, or that they would at least talk to him. He didn't understand why no one here seemed to like him. It seemed outrageous.

When his sister broke the silence, Nathaniel was wondering what he had done wrong. "Hurts." his sister said loudly, as Nathaniel turned, he watched Naomi place her hands over the bandage on her knee. But it did not cover all the way, and the cut managed to snake a little sideways so he could catch a glimpse of the raw skin. Nathaniel winced as she felt the sting of the scar trying to heal.

He smiled wryly. "Shark bite." he made a chewing motion, his jaw clamping up and down while he pointed to her knee. Naomi giggled and then Nathaniel responded back. "Great white shark...bite." he made the motion again, only this time he grabbed his own knee and pretended to be hurting. His sister clapped her hands and giggled more, inflating his ego and deteriorating his problems with her company.

"Ah!" she breathed. "Again!"

But the little boy's eyes had turned on the opening of their container, which was now open. Someone was reaching for him, their hands as cold as ice. He fought against them, for reasons that just seemed right. They were not his mother, nor his supposed father. The pair of hands held tight and harshly while he trashed.

Nathaniel thought of the only person he loved enough to trust. "Mama!" he screamed. It came all at once, the sensation of his shirt being lifted up, and the sharp feeling that hit him squarely in the back. As he turned, he could see a fox pulling away from him, in his hands was a vile of bright red blood. The blood was boiling, festering like some sort of infectious liquid. He paled, panicking. "Mama!"

His sister was hitting her body hard against the container, the opening in the cell allowing her words to be heard. "Mama!" she screamed with him, much higher and ringing loudly in his ears. Then, there was another sting. Another shot. Within seconds, his voice faded away softly, his screams no longer audible. His head dropped, while Naomi's screams were muffled by a hand brought swiftly over her hand and mouth. Within minutes, she too was out.

Tails threw the little girl back into the cell. His face was hidden under the three bangs of his orange fur. "I didn't want to do it." he told Cream, who stood horrified, holding the boy in her arms. She held him tighter, her brown eyes wide and staring at him, piercing holes in his soul. Tails took a step towards her. "I had to." he stressed. "I had to do it."

But Cream only shook her head, seeing him for what he really was. Setting the boy down on the floor, she sidestepped past all the test tubes to the doorway. "I..." her voice broke. "I have to go." she managed.

Tails' blue eyes softened. "Don't..." he whispered back, shivering as if she were a source of warmth that was already leaving him. "Don't go."

But Cream had found the door, and as her voice quivered, she started to cry. "I'm sorry." she told him, before running out of the lab and fleeing for her life. Unknowingly headed for the hallway that held a pink hedgehog on the other side.

* * *

Rouge watched the paramedics take her baby away. Carried on a little stretcher, her body was stiff, her daughter's knees forever bent and arms spread wide. Rouge simply watched, her mind not comprehending what had happened. The soft hair of her daughter fell over her cheek as the wind shook the leaves of the trees. Rouge still stared, her hands covering over her heart and face etched in confusion. Why were they taking her away? Was she going somewhere? 

Her aqua eyes took in the still image of her daughter as she thought tiredly. 'Please do not wake her up.' she managed, her throat constricting. But as a doctor lifted the baby into his arms, her limbs stayed unmoved and uncompromiseable. They were asking other people things that only she knew. Distantly, Rouge wondered why no one spoke to her. Why were they asking each other these questions, when it was she who could answer them.

The person you're holding is Ruby Ashley, Rouge answered in her mind. She is nearly two months old; she is allergic to penicillin and has eyes like mine. She is sleeping, only sleeping. A breathing tube, no, she has never needed one.

As the doctors set her daughter back down, they looked at each other before they shook their head and grabbed the sheet on the end of the small stretcher. As Rouge observed them, she was compelled by the way they set the fabric over her head. 'Oh no, don't do that. She could suffocate.' Rouge started to walk, preparing to tell them these things. But an arm swiftly held her back, and as she looked, something inside of her broke. She understood what she had been missing, what she had been too stupid to see. Whipping her head back to the ambulance, her heart raced.

The spell over her mind and heart had finally been broken.

"Ruby?" she called, weakly and shaking. When no one answered her, she gasped and broke free of the arms that held her. Running to the ambulance, she jumped gracefully into the back, ripping off the sheets to look at her baby. "Ruby?" she asked, with the same tone. A silence broke over her, and as she reached out and tenderly stroked the cheek of her only child. "How did this happen?" her tears fell fast and free, like waterfalls down her face. "It can't be...she can't be gone. I just held her. I just put her to sleep..."

People were at her sides, pulling her away from Ruby. "Ma'am, you need to come with us."

"No!" she cried harshly, ripping away from them. Grabbing her child, she crouched down in the back of the ambulance, while others tried to pull her free. Rouge held on tight, her lips pressed against the developing skull of her daughter, her fingers clasped around her weak little arms. She screamed while they pulled, sobbing and refusing to let go. Stroking her baby's hair, she cried into the soft wisps of Ruby's hair, shoulders shaking. They still tried to pull, and she merely crouched tighter.

"Please," Rouge sobbed. "Please, just leave us alone."

* * *

A/N: (steals the Queen of Ace's drink) We hope that you have enjoyed the ride. You'll notice that all personal belongings brought aboard have been converted into cash, and all of your generous donations will be going towards a good cause. If you go straight ahead, you will find our gift shop full of ridiculously over-priced items, so feel free to browse. A waffle party will be held shortly to all who stay, which will include hand-picked music ranging from, "They Call Me Sonic" to "Bootylicious." 

All hot/muscular males, please leave all unnecessary clothing behind on your seats. Your guides (and possibly a few female riders) will gladly take them for you.

Hope you liked it!

P.S: Sorry about missing some review replies! I found a few of them in the trash bin for some reason, but I can't be sure I got them all.

The Queen of Aces

azngirlchibi


	16. Chapter 16

**_A/N: _**Hey guys! It's been a bit quiet lately, so I'm posting early... and okay, I'm bored too :P Besides, I knew y'all missed psycho Amy :D.

The formatting for the quote (if you hadn't noticed already) is a bit strange. Fanfiction's new document thingy doesn't have a copy/paste option anymore, so there's gonna be a lot of white space in between.

Enjoy the chapter, and I'll yak later.

* * *

"_Because the pressure of this world_

_They can take their toll,_

_And it's tough to get away_

_When they take their hold._

_The only way to break free_

_Is to break the mold!_

_You can't stop now,_

_Lock and load!_

_Don't stop now,_

_Come on, rock and roll!"_

-"His World" lyrics – Ali Tabatabaee and Matty Lewis version.

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

Cream gasped for breath, the air searing as it sliced thorough her lungs. 

It hurt so much to breathe. Her throat was too tight – much too tight. It burned as if the wind had cut it open, and then her salty tears had flooded into them. She gasped again, and it stung mercilessly. Her chest was had clenched itself around her heart, and she could feel it struggle to beat.

She had always thought that she knew him well – that she had knew _herself _well. She thought he was the one that she could depend on, someone who would get her though this, who would help her be _her, _not this… this thing that she had forced herself to be molded into.

But… she was wrong.

Again.

It wasn't fair! Everything she had depended on, everything she had wanted had been swept away in one blow. She wanted to cuddle up with Cheese. She wanted to cry on her mother's shoulder. She wanted her friends back. She wanted… she wanted Tails. Not that monster that had heartlessly harmed a child – a mere child that was barely older than himself!

What had _happened? _Everything was falling apart!

She sobbed again, the cry echoing through the endless hallway. She had to get away from here. She had to get out of this eternal hell!

With a final burst of energy, she crossed the last few steps and wrenched open the metal door.

* * *

Her first reaction was to run when, with a shower of rust, the door beside her was thrown open. 

Cream didn't seem to see her at all at first. She looked past her as if her mind was elsewhere, a feral look of freedom in her eyes.

The rabbit had grown so much. Her eyes had darkened to an auburn tint, her fur the colour of a glossy peach. She was almost taller than her now, her long ears reaching to her ankles. Her orange dress was tattered, the blue ribbon astray, her face tear-stained and dirty and a touch less innocent… but despite the clothing and tears, Amy never imagined her to be so beautiful, never imagined the way she seemed to glow with a radiance she could not understand.

But than she stopped… and saw.

"A-Amy?" she asked, both incredulous and… scared?

Amy felt and unexplainable trill of fear when the rabbit had said her name. Her heart started to pound wildly.

"A-Amy?" she asked again, and started to walk forward timidly, her hands outstretched.

The pink hedgehog backed away, the gun clicking at her side. "Stay away," she said, her voice low as she backed away.

Cream stopped and seemed to see the gun for the first time. She looked back at Amy's face fleetingly, and the hedgehog felt her heart clenched with longing. _'Idiot!' _a part of her screamed. _'If Cream can do this just by looking at you, than how are you going to deal with Sonic?'_

"I… I've missed you," whispered Cream.

Amy pressed her lips together. _'Tell her that you haven't,' _her mind hissed. _'Tell her that you hate her. That you never want to see her again.' _

"I've missed you too," Amy said faintly as her mind growled in anger.

Cream's eyes widened, and a few tears escaped. Amy shook her head frantically as the tears sent another shock of longing through her body. No, she couldn't act like this. She couldn't feel like this. Not when so much was at stake…

"Where've you been hiding?" Cream asked her. "Where have you been… all this time?" Her voice broke.

_'Lie.' _"We were… hiding in the south," Amy heard herself unwillingly answer. _'No, no, no!'_

"In the… south?" Cream blinked at her, and than looked behind her. "Tails… you lied to us all… for them?"

Amy blinked. "Tails lied?" _'And so what if he did? Is that going to stop you? Is that going to keep you from your goal?'_

Cream's eyes filled with remorse. "Oh, Tails…" They slid down to her shoes.

Amy was silent. She wanted to move. Every part of her was screaming at her to move, to get past Cream and to the twins. Her fingers tightened around the gun in her hand, and she could feel it shaking as if it was about to shatter. _'Are you this weak?' _She heard the voice hissing again. _'Is it this hard to take out one little obstacle? She wouldn't struggle… she would throw herself at your feet if you asked…'_

"How has Tails been doing?" She found herself asking, just to get away from the hissing in her head.

"Not so well," Cream answered, her eyes meeting Amy's again. She felt herself quiver under the gaze. "None of us have…" she added, her voice trailing off.

Amy swallowed. "I'm sorry…"

"For what?" Her mind echoed the question.

"I'm sorry for… for making your lives miserable. For making _all _our lives miserable."

Cream bit her lip. "Yes, you should be," she said, with a trace of harshness. Amy flinched. _'Weak,' _her head whispered. "Nobody's been doing well with you two gone… everything's been falling apart." Her eyes filled with tears again.

"You didn't give us a choice!" Amy shouted. Cream shrank away from her, but she didn't care this time. Her mind smirked in victory. "Did you ever think about asking what I thought? Did you ever think that maybe… just maybe… the twins weren't dangerous at all? Did you ever think that maybe I love them?"

Cream turned cold. "You love them more than us? Is that what you're saying?"

"Maybe I do," she growled out.

There was pain in Cream's eyes, but she found that she didn't care. "Okay, maybe you don't love us. Maybe you hate us," Cream said. "But what about the whole world? Should they die because of your selfishness?"

"…" Amy looked away. "At this point, it's too late for me to care."

She heard Cream's sharp intake of breath. "You're a hero. You're supposed to make sacrifices."

Amy closed her eyes. Here it was again, all this "hero" crap! She had never chosen to be a hero! Had anybody ever stopped her, while she was about to take off for another journey, to ask if she had wanted to go on it in the first place? No! Had anybody ever offered to take her place? No! She never even had a choice when someone had left the twins on her doorstep! She never had the choice to meet Sonic or not… he just happened to have saved her!

Suddenly, she chuckled darkly. _'This is where it all comes down to, doesn't it? Sonic.'_

Amy smiled at the rabbit, who seemed taken aback by her sudden change in mood. Her smile widened when the rabbit backed away in fear.

"W-what are you doing?" Her mouth dropped open when Amy held out the gun. "Amy?"

Amy chuckled again. "I'm about to end all our problems."

"I… Amy… you…" She shivered, and Amy felt a surge of pleasure. She had Cream completely at her mercy…

_'Yes, that's it! End it, and move on. You have better things to do…'_

She cocked it, and the click bounced across the hallway.

"Amy," Cream whimpered.

_'End it!'_

She aimed.

_'There's no turning back…'_

"You promised that you would do anything to protect me…"

Amy stopped. "What?"

"When I asked you…" Cream said. "A long time ago… right when you got the twins… you promised that you would do anything to protect me."

Amy's eyes narrowed. _'Look at her! She still has the audacity to remind you of a silly long-broken promise!'_

"Do you seriously think I care anymore?" Amy asked, contempt in every syllable.

Cream shook her head. "No… not really," she whispered. "I guess… I can't change your mind about this at all, can I?"

"I… I _tried _to find some pity for you," Amy said, thoughtfully. "But I couldn't find any."

Cream suddenly glared. "I don't want your _pity_," she retorted.

"Than… what _do _you want?" Amy asked.

"I… I don't know," Cream admitted. She paused. "I guess… After all this, after you left us, after we hurt each other… I still want… to be friends… Amy." She smiled ruefully. "I'm stupid, aren't I?"

Amy froze. "Friends…?" she repeated, the very word sounding strange on her tongue.

_'No, it's too late, it's already too late! End it now!'_

"I…"

_'End it!'_

"I don't know if I…"

_'End it now!'

* * *

_

She touched her face lightly.

Blood.

She could feel it splattered across her cheeks, wet and warm.

She kept on walking in a sort of daze. But the voice was insistent.

_'Sonic is next… He's just around the bend…'_

She staggered around the corner. It seemed to take her forever.

"Sonic!"

Amy blinked. It was not her who said that name.

Naomi giggled as Sonic lifted him gently down from a cell. Amy felt anger. They had put her in a cell? How _dare _they…

"Sonic!" she said again, hugging the blue hedgehog. Nathaniel was already out, and he had his arms crossed, pouting a little as if regretting that it wasn't _he _who was lifting Naomi out.

Sonic chuckled and ruffled Naomi's hair. Amy felt her throat burn. Sonic shouldn't be happy. He shouldn't be _allowed _to be happy. Not after all he had done to them – to _her. _

"Put her down."

Sonic immediately stiffened and turned around.

Intense hate seemed to freeze her veins and stab down her spine. She could feel the shadow of his grip on her shoulder like a spot of dirt that refused to leave. She barely held back a growl. He actually still dare touch the twins after what he had done? She brought out the gun and pointed it at his face. How she longed to pull the trigger…

Sonic glanced at the gun once, then back at her face. Amy felt a twang of annoyance. How come no one seemed to care that she was holding a deadly weapon in her hands? If they thought that she couldn't use it, then they were all fools.

"Amy," he breathed out. Her reaction was much different than it had been with Cream. She just grew angrier, her shoulders starting to shake.

"You…" She refused to say his name. "Put her down right now."

Sonic set Naomi down gently, even brushing down her skirt before straightening back up. Naomi and Nathaniel stared at Amy, wide-eyed, looking at the strange thing that she was pointing at Sonic's face. They didn't move away from Sonic.

Using the gun, she pointed to a corner of the room, and he obeyed her without a word. He stood there, still staring, his blank expression never changing.

She looked back at the twins, than smiled. A true smile that broke through her face like a diver surfacing for air.

It was infectious. With a cry of joy, the twins both ran towards her. She bent down on one knee and took them both in her arms.

"My babies…" she whispered. She kissed them both on the tops of their heads, pressing their soft cheeks to hers. She breathed in deeply, the scent of baby lotion filling her nose, bringing back a thousand bath time memories. Their forest-green furs were damp with sweat, and Naomi's long hair was snarled and tangled. But that didn't matter – they were very real, very _safe _in her arms.

"I'm so sorry for leaving you…" she said, her voice going hoarse. She rubbed Nathaniel's cheek with a finger, his odd eyes so wonderfully familiar.

Suddenly she frowned. "What's that on your arm?"

She held out his arm. An angry, red welt like that of a bee sting was bright on his skin. It puckered up, and when she touched it, Nathaniel whimpered. "Hurts," he admitted for the first time.

"You too, Naomi?" Naomi held on her arm, and there was another welt, but bigger and more painful looking. Naomi actually cried out when Amy tried to touch anywhere near it.

Amy's eyes narrowed. Without looking at Sonic, she asked, "What happened?"

"Tails took blood samples," Sonic answered automatically, mechanically.

Amy shot up. "Blood… samples?"

"He wanted to find out more about them."

"He wanted to find out more about them…" she repeated. Her hands tightened themselves into fists. "He treated them like a research experiment. Like they were a new project of his. I see. From the looks of it, he didn't even bother asking them for permission."

"No… he didn't think it was necessary," was Sonic's toneless answer.

"And did you try to stop him at all?" Amy asked, taking one step towards him.

"No," Sonic said.

"Why?" Amy questioned.

"I didn't think it was necessary." Sonic's eyes slid away from hers.

Amy stared at him. "_You didn't think it was necessary?' _Sonic, look at them! Look at Naomi's arm!"

Sonic glanced at it. The red spot stood out from Naomi's pale skin, and it seemed to scream in pain. He turned to give Amy a heartless look. She had never imagined that she would ever see the emptiness in his eyes, as if instinct had scorched away all his emotions.

"I don't care anymore, Amy," he said emptily.

Amy swallowed. "Don't… care…" she stated, her voice faded. Her shoulders started shaking again.

Sonic looked at her warily, his expression changing for the first time.

The pink hedgehog suddenly threw back her head and laughed. The twins shied away from her and hugged each other, but she didn't seem to notice. It was ridiculous! All of it! It was like some sort of dream you'd only have when you were delirious, some fear pulled out of her personal hell. Her laughter grated in her own ears. This couldn't be real. This was fake, all fake.

This was just… impossible.

"I don't think I can believe you, Sonic," she said, still snickering. It didn't hurt to say his name anymore, and it nearly sent another wave of laughter through her. "But that doesn't matter." She pulled out the gun and pointed it to his skull once again.

Sonic still had not moved an inch.

Amy frowned. "Why aren't you saying anything?" she snarled. "Do you seriously think I wouldn't kill you? Or have you forgotten already that I hate you?"

There was a flash of pain, and Amy smiled. She felt his eyes flash over the front of her dress, the gun, and then at her blood-splattered face.

"How many?" he whispered.

Amy's smile disappeared. "What are you talking about?"

"How many?" he asked again, nodding at the gun.

Amy froze. "I-I don't know…" she muttered. "But what does it matter to you? Apparently, nothing matters to you anymore. You don't feel anything, you don't care, you're just… you're just a monster!"

More pain. She felt that same, vindictive pleasure as Sonic seemed to crumble, but why did it feel like she had just hit herself in the gut?

"It doesn't matter…" she murmured again. "I've gotten to you. And I'm going to kill you Sonic. That's the only thing that matters to me right now."

Sonic was still staring at her bloody cheeks. It was starting to annoy her…

"And what are you going to do after you've killed me?" Sonic asked her, as if it was the most natural question in the world.

Amy's face took on a faraway expression. "I'm not sure, actually. I'll get the kids and go somewhere far, far away. A place that nobody's ever heard about… where nobody's ever heard about us. Nathaniel and Naomi can start pre-school…" her voice quieted to a dreamy whisper. "And we'll live in a nice house with a white picket fence. We'll have a tall tree out in the front for Naomi to climb… and I'll let Nathaniel get guitar lessons. It will never be cold, like an eternal summer. It will be our own personal paradise…"

"A paradise…" Sonic breathed in deeply, as if he could smell the smells that Amy could, as if he could see the sights that Amy saw. As if they were lying down under the same, cloudless, blue sky together…

The two slowly shook their heads, coming out of their stupors. "Yes, Sonic." Her finger tensed on the trigger. "It will be our own paradise… and it'll be without _you."_

Amy stopped. _'A paradise without Sonic…' _It sounded strange, unnatural. Confusion flitted across her face.

Sonic suddenly sighed. Amy stared as a look of grief shadowed his face. "Is that really what you want?"

Amy paused, then nodded. "I made my choice already." And how long ago it seemed! "You can't change my mind."

"I won't." Amy blinked as his reassuring tone. "I'd already decided too…" He laughed, but it was as bitter as hers was delirious. "I should've never tried to love you, and never tried to make you mine. If I hadn't kissed you on that plane…" His voice trialed off wistfully.

"Yes… if only you hadn't… things might've turned out…" She searched for the right word, "… differently."

"Hmm… do you think so?" Sonic smiled remorsefully. "Or was it just always set this way? Was I just never good for you from the very start?"

"Good for me?" Amy glared. "Don't give me another round of self-pity, because I'm already sick of that!"

"I'm sorry." He sounded so sincere… "But I'm just me this way, aren't I? I doubt myself when I'm with you. You're not an easy person to handle. You're not an easy person to love."

Her hands shook. She was surprised when she found that she was blinking back tears. Her heart started to beat hyperactively in her chest. "You actually… still love me?"

She heard his breathing stop. She looked up at him, and found that he was looking away from her. "Oh, damn," she heard him say under his breath.

"What?" she asked him.

Sonic shook his head. "It's… it's not supposed to be this way…" he answered her quietly. "I'm not good for you Amy…" His eyes were imploring as they stared into hers. Her heart thumped painfully. "We both know it… we both tried to deny it… but…" He ran his hand through his quills. "I… we both know… you can't… and I can't…"

Amy's mouth dropped open. She tried to force it to form coherent words. "It… it really _is _too late isn't it…?"

Sonic nodded. "You've made your choice… and I made mine..."

"…And neither of us is going to back out…" Amy finished for him.

Amy suddenly felt tugging at her side. She looked down into Nathaniel's pupil-less eyes.

"Amy…" he said quietly, as if knowing he was intruding into forbidden territory. "What's happening?"

"Yeah." Naomi looked at her with baleful eyes. "I bored," she complained.

Amy bit back an unexpected smile. Suddenly, she kneeled down so she was looking eye-level at them. "Can you tell Amy something? And promise to be truthful."

The twins nodded solemnly, their childish seriousness almost comical.

"Tell me…" She took a deep breath. "Do you think Sonic is good for me?"

The twins frowned, and thought for a moment, their tiny faces screwed up in concentration.

Nathaniel answered her first. "No," he said.

"Why?" Amy asked.

Nathaniel pouted. "He make you cry a lot."

Amy gave him a tiny smile. He was much more perceptive than she gave him credit for.

She turned to Naomi.

Naomi looked at her for a long moment, and Amy felt the sudden feeling of being x-rayed.

"Yes," Naomi finally answered, and Nathaniel looked at her, annoyed.

"Why?" Amy asked.

Naomi smiled, each of her sparkling teeth glowing. "He make you cry a lot!"

Nathaniel's frown deepened. "What? That's dumb!"

Naomi pouted at him. "Amy must really love Sonic enough to care what he thinks!"

It was, quite possibly, the longest and most truthful sentence that she had ever said before.

Amy turned away from them, then gasped. Sonic had snuck up on her without a sound. But just as she was about to push him away, he spread out his arms and hugged her, the gun pressing into his chest.

Every part of her stilled.

"Listen Amy," he said, his breath tickling her ear. Her spine quivered in response. "It doesn't matter what you're about to do to me. If you do decide to keep me, then I'll stay with you as long as you want me to be with you. But… if you decide to shoot me…" He pressed her closer, the gun digging into his flesh. "I promise you… I won't run."

His face was just an inch from hers, and his eyes smothered her gently. She would only have to reach up… and his smell was almost hypnotic…

_'But… I'm supposed to hate him…' _She thought to herself. _'And I __**do **__hate him… so what…'_

Sonic shook his head, as if reading her mind. "You have to decide for yourself, Amy." He closed his eyes. "I won't run," he promised again.

_'I get to decide for myself… for the first time ever…' _So why did the choice have to be so… hard?

Her hand tightened around the cold metal, and he heard his voice again, promising something that she had always wanted, but now wished that he would just take back.

"I won't run…"

* * *

**_A/N: _**I hope you like it! And in case any of you didn't pick this up from the quote, this is a different version of "His World" from Sonic Next-Gen (Ali Tabatabaee has an AWESOME last name. I _still _can't say it, but it's so cool!). 

I am so not insane... XD

I personally really liked this chapter, except for the little scene with Cream and Amy (and no, I'm not going to tell you if Amy really killed her or not, so please don't ask). I kind of expected it to come out more... heart-breaking, I guess, but they're so cut off from each other now and I really couldn't find much emotion to write about. I like the SonAmy scene though! Especially my pathetic, awkward attempts at getting Nathaniel and Naomi to talk like normal kids with bad grammar (dies of embarrasement).

(sigh) Enough of me filling up white space and trying to make a semi-interesting author's note. Review, throw tomatoes at us, do nothing... you know, the usual.

Thanks for reading!

The Queen of Aces

azngirlchibi


	17. Chapter 17

**_A/N:_** I'm pretty much depressed. I've come to terms with the fact that I might be a bad author. Could you even call me that? Maybe, you could say, a bad storyteller. For I look back into myself and find the need for a simple purpose, in anything, really. The point of anything, the point of merely thinking as to what I am ashamed to write now, would be most helpful. Blugh. What is the point of it all, really!? –crawls under bed- just read. No doubt you will understand the mediocre work, ugh. I think I shall take a small nap.

* * *

_"Long ago, at the time of my novitiate, you told me the love I felt for you was worldly and impure, a delusion of the Devil-and I believed you. You urged me to cast this wicked love from my heart, so I obeyed you, left you, and journeyed there. For years I told myself that your silence and my prayers would quench the flame of that love, given time. They have not done so. I am old now, and, lying here alone for long days and nights, I have come to believe we are wrong. Is any love truly wicked? My love for you, a mother's love for a child, a man's for his friend or country: could not all loves be said to light a taper in our hearts, one which can illuminate our lives and guide us towards that eternal beacon of light which is the Love of God, in Heaven?"_

-The Letters of Isabella de Morlaix to Winifride of Ely, 1257-1301  
Edited and translated from the Latin, V.B.S. Taylor, 1913

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

Amy stood there, perfectly balanced and completely at a loss as to her next motive.

She swallowed, allowing her lips to part in a single breath that broke the tension in the air, and subconsciously, she pressed her weapon harder against the boy across from her. In a dying motion, he gave a sad frown, like even now he still felt affection for her.

Between them, her ammunition seemed to beat, like the joined heart that kept them alive in that moment. The gun was now their connection point, where one started and the other ended. Where she would be freed and he would be imprisoned, where she would live, and where he would die. As she stared at his face, the irony almost seemed amusing, if it wasn't completely her fault. The infamous Sonic the hedgehog, who would be killed by the one person who loved him most. Brought down by the very feelings she had assured him were quite okay to feel.

Her facial features relaxed, pain fading away due to the morphine her body was creating. It was simply amazing to think, that when the mind knew there was going to be a great amount of pain, it made its own painkiller. Amy thought about this for the briefest moment, considering the possibility that this morphine just might come in handy later. After all, past Sonic laid Tails, one of the last survivors left. And Amy knew that if she left without permanently exterminating the problem, Tails might revive them all with the Chaos Emeralds. No, she thought, I will get to the base of this infectious organization and bring it down. Just a few more victims, she thought with pleasure.

The boy that she loved brought his arms down, his eyes tightening and his mouth tilting into a straight line. As he turned his head, he inspected the two children that were watching with the brightest eyes he had ever seen. Naomi was standing behind her older brother, holding onto his arm and whimpering, tears glistening. The little boy, Nathaniel, merely stared at him as if he were a complete stranger, like he did not know him at all.

Sonic bit his lip to keep from screaming. They were only a year old, they had no idea what was happening, where they were, or why. Hell, they would not even remember this place; give a few months of separation.

Sonic looked at them, and as he closed his eyes, a tear fell down his face. They would not remember him; they were still far too young to hold in that amount of memory. Give a couple of months, a year at most, and he would be nothing, not even a figure of remembrance. Even though he had been a part of their lives since they were born, it would make no difference. Their developing minds would not recall, and they would never know of all the good he had done.

"That sucks." He whispered, the only words he could find. At the sound of his voice, he noticed with uneasiness that the gun was pressed even harder against his chest. He opened his eyes to see her there, long pink hair, angelic face, and bloodthirsty grin. He waited, waited for her final words before she blew him to pieces.

But suddenly, she paused, and before he could ask, a few words escaped her lips. Though he did not hear them, he saw the result. Tears swelled at the bottom of her eyes, falling down, glistening and descending like shooting stars. Amy watched the face of her blue hero soften as he reached out to her in concern.

As his fingers grazed the bare sin of her arm, millions of memories flashed in her mind. My name is Sonic, Sonic the hedgehog! As she stared, a smile started on his face. I want you to join my team. I'm glad you're here. Happy birthday Ames! I'll never leave you, Amy. As her body pulsed, she remembered. Amy, is something crying? Amy, we're going to run away. She closed her eyes. I don't care anymore.

Her eyes snapped back open. She struggled against him, managing to slash the side of his face with the gun, but he still held on tight. He straddled her arms at her sides, holding her so close that her ribs were pressed tight against his. The only real true hug he had ever given her.

Amy gritted her teeth, trying to lift her hand to point the gun to him and end all this. But she could not, his grip was too tight, she could not move. She was forced to breathe his smell, and as she threw her head back, she unleashed a scream that would forever scare her mind. The sound of an animal that had been caught in a trap, the sound of someone being burnt alive. She screamed louder, muttering things as well.

"I hate you!" she screamed, her ragged screaming horrifying. As his hand cupped the back of her head, it brought her face into his shoulder. She tried to bite him, she tried everything to try and free herself. "I hate you!" she screamed louder, throwing her face into his collarbone. "I hate you!" her screaming became weaker, edged and slightly soft. After what seemed like forever, her screaming ceased, and her exhausted head fell onto his chest, her eyes closing.

Then, she started to cry. The tears making her shoulders shake and her lip quiver. Her knees collapsed, and as he brought her back down to the ground, he held her while she cried. He stroked her hair while she sobbed, telling her it was alright.

With a cautious hand, he wrapped his fingers around the wrist that held the gun, lightly pressing it. Her reflexes made the hold she held on the gun stop, as it dropped to the ground, the sound echoing bitterly all around them.

Brokenly, she parted away from him and turned to the twins, extending her arms and watching them fall onto her. "We have to go." She told them, whispering into their hair. She was still crying, holding onto them, the only thing that was familiar. "Let's go home."

"You're not going anywhere."

All four hedgehogs turned at the sound of the voice. Amy's eyes widened as she saw Rouge the bat, and Tails. The only survivors. Both were holding onto guns, aimed straight for her. But in Rouge's arms was a sleeping baby.

Wait…

Amy inspected further. She saw the contorted limbs, and the neck that had been broken. A dead baby. Her mouth made a strangled noise. Sonic seemed to realize this at the same time she did, eyes wary as he watched them. Naomi whimpered, holding on tighter to Amy, while Nathaniel simply watched.

Tails watched Sonic, unbelieving. "You said you were on my side." He managed, before he pulled the safety off, without moving it away from the pink hedgehog. Tails began to grow heavy, his body weighing tons. "Why won't you just give up? Why can't you just hand over the twins, and save us all?" he asked, whimpering pathetically. Rouge looked away from the blue speedster, only to see Amy inching for the gun that lay merely centimeters in front of her.

"Don't move, Amy." She demanded, as Amy's hand quivered, before pausing. Her jade eyes narrowed, her cheeks turning red. As Rouge stared, her voice was hollow. "You killed my husband."

"Yeah." Amy replied, uncaring. "I guess I did." Sonic stilled, turning his head to look at her. Amy ignored him.

Rouge shook horribly, still holding the child to her chest. "It's all your fault. All of this, it's all your fault. You have no morals. You even killed your best friend."

Amy, to Sonic's utter shock, gave a simple response. Challenging, Amy mocked. "No, really? Wow, nothing gets past you, does it?"

Rouge darkened, taking a step. "You don't even care." Her voice seemed constricted. "You're a monster."

Amy blinked, frowning. "Is there a point to this conversation?" she then replaced her former frown, as she grinned wickedly. "What did you expect? Yeah, I killed them. No, I don't care. A monster? Sure, why not?" she laughed. "Cream, Shadow, Knuckles…they're all dead. Dead, dead, dead."

Tails yelled. "Shut up!" he watched her flinch, before she looked at him. He stayed steady. "You killed Cream…" tears streamed down his face. "I can't forgive you for that."

Amy huffed. "Then don't." she told him, while Rouge spat at her.

Before anyone could say another word, Nathaniel suddenly spoke up. "Baby?" he motioned towards the child in the bat's arms. As Rouge jumped, she watched the little boy waddle to her. Amy reached for him, but as Tails ordered her to stay back, she could only obey. Nathaniel finally made it to her, his arms outstretched. "Baby!" he called, eager and happy. His hair hung in his eyes, his brilliant colored eyes. "Lemme see." He demanded, and when the bat did not move, his eyes narrowed. "Wanna see." He told her, as Rouge merely stared, before she knelt down and let the little boy see her daughter.

As Nathaniel stared, his face grew troubled. "Name?" he gurgled out.

Rouge blinked. "Ruby." She answered him, as Nathaniel smiled once more. As he held his hands over his face, he quickly peeled them away, yelling. 'Boo!' But when the baby remained still, he frowned. Rouge's mouth twitched. "Hon, she can't play, she's…" as her voice trailed off, it broke. "Sleeping."

Nathaniel seemed to think for a minute, before he grinned crazily and set his hand over the baby's eyes. "Wake up!" he yelled, before he lifted his hand. It was quiet for a moment.

Rouge nearly screamed when the chest of her daughter suddenly excelled, and her eyes snapped open. Her arms and legs squirmed, as she made little coughs. Those mimicking aqua eyes wide with life.

Rouge dropped the gun in her hand, and held her baby close. "Ruby! You're alive! Oh, Ruby!" as she sobbed, she cradled her child and rocked. When the little girl began to hiccup, Rouge shushed her. "Don't worry, Maman is here now." She whispered. "Maman is here." As she held her baby, she looked up at Nathaniel. "Thank you." She whimpered. "Thank you so much."

Nathaniel beamed, before he turned around, and raced towards his mother. Amy embraced him tightly, glad nothing had happened. As Tails stared, Sonic took this as his chance. Grabbing the gun that lay abandoned, he pointed it awkwardly at his former best friend. Amy saw this, and as she stood up, she grabbed the twins and ran. She ran as fast as she could, not daring to look back. Minutes later, Sonic was striding beside her.

As she looked at him, she glared. "What do you want?" she asked, as they both rounded the corner. Sonic watched her face and smiled.

"You know, why don't you stop arguing and just love the fact that we're alive?" as they descended down the stairs, he watched her expression turn angry.

"Maybe because I still wish you were dead." She finished. As they ran, she growled. "Sonic, I need to tell you something."

"I don't think now is the time-"

"No." Amy interrupted him as they ran down another flight of the endless stairs. "This is important. Listen, after we get out of here," she jumped a bit, getting faster. "I want you to stay the hell away from me, and my family."

Sonic suddenly stopped, the news overwhelming. As Amy saw this, she skidded to a stop, watching as he shook. "What?" he asked, as if he didn't hear.

Amy did not skip a beat. "Sonic, I'm saying that I'm leaving you." As she panted, she swallowed. "You stay away. For good. You don't call, you don't write, and you don't talk to us." As she stared at him, the light from a small window played over her face. "Because, at this point, you're just a burden to me."

Sonic swore he felt the world stop turning. "Amy…" he tried, but she would not hear it. As she turned, she held the twins closer.

"Goodbye." She whispered, before she started down the steps, and ran right out of his life.

* * *

**_A/N: _**I gaped, blinking in total disbelief.

This... this couldn't be.

"No..." I whispered out loud, my heart pounding painfully in my chest. "No... this... I..."

The monster before her roared loudly, before rearing it's head. It's ghostly white face stared maliciously at me, the fine, black lines imprinted on it's body twisted hypnotically, trying to draw me in, trying to capture me...

I swallowed. I didn't want to do this... but I had to.

I screwed up all my courage, and reached out to touch it...

... and then the monster bit me.

Pain flooded up my fingers and throbbed mercilessly. I screamed.

"STUPID PIANO!"

And the moral to the story is, "Pianos are wild creatures that should only be tamed by professionals."

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

**Anonymous Reviews:**

**cardcaptorsakura**: YAY, AN ANONYMOUS REVIEWER! (throws wild party) We're always going to try and update when we can, so hold on :) Thanks for reading!

The Queen of Aces

azngirlchibi


	18. Chapter 18

**_A/N: _**Hi peoples! This is azngirlchibi writing this time (since a lot of you can't seem to keep track XD - just to let you know, The Queen of Aces has been writing odd-numbered chapters, and I've been writing even number chapters...). I am freezing my buns off 'cause it's snowing outside right now, and our heating isn't working... Ah, well, it's Canada. BLAME CANADA! (That song is so addicting XP)

Enjoy the chapter!

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

_"He forced the door open, cast aside the chair and boxers hastily piled against it with one lazy wave of his wand… and there she stood, the child in her arms. At the sight of him, she dropped her son into the cot behind her and threw her arms wide, as if this would help, as if in shielding him from sight she hoped to be chosen instead…"_

_-Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K Rowling_

* * *

_"I want you to stay the hell away from me, and my family."_

His ears still rang after she had spat those words ruthlessly at him. The doors were still flung wide, wide open, mockingly throwing blinding snow and hail at him.

_'Snow…?' _Mechanically, he stepped out, going after a girl who hated him a split second too late. The white curtains of frost had already closed after her form and were burying her footprints. Tears froze before they could leave his eyes. _'See…?'_ A part of him seemed to sneer. _'Even the sky is against you. The whole world is against you!'_

_'Shut up!'_ he growled back at it, and angrily wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

It shouldn't matter to him, he thought as he took another step. _'Amy left… because I'm not good for her. I practically sent her away myself! This… shouldn't… hurt!'_

"So… so why…" he whispered out loud, his breath clouding his vision.

"Why…" He bit his lip hard, and tasted warm blood.

"Why does… it hurt… so… much?"

But who was there to ask? Who was there to answer him?

No one.

'_Except… maybe…'_

'_No! I can't think about her anymore! I won't!'_

And there was only one thing he would allow himself to do.

Run.

Nothing could hold him back, but maybe that was only because nothing wanted to keep him. Snow wrapped itself around him, dragging him forwards. His feet carved a path through the whiteness, and he couldn't see where he was going. But more than that, he could forget about the damnable heart that was somehow still beating in his chest.

After all, he was the wind – and the wind didn't feel. The wind didn't have a heart.

'_Stay away…'_

He would do well to follow her demand.

He would make sure that he no longer existed in her life – or anyone else's.

He would never stop running.

And Sonic vanished into the arms of the wind.

* * *

_Two years later…_

Two years… two years to forget old memories. Two years to make new ones. Two years to change, to grow, to watch others be happy, to watch the ever-changing colours of the sky, the leaves fall from branches, the snow falling. Two years to hear the sounds of lightening, tears, and anger.

Two years to be in someone else's debt.

These two passing years, Rouge realized, should not have lasted as long as it had seemed to her.

It wasn't all bad either, she mused to herself. She had always hated being in someone else's debt, like the time Knuckles had saved her after their fight over a boiling pit of lava. But… being in debt to a child – a killer – wasn't quite as bad as she had thought.

Then again, that could've simply been because it wasn't her own life she owed, but…

"_Momma! Hurry!"_

Ruby Ashley. She was two years old and barely went up to her knees. Her hair swung out behind her in a very Knuckles-like fashion, her astonishing aqua-eyes bright and clear with laughter. Her tiny wings could barely lift her a foot off the ground, but the walls of their home was pockmarked with little nail-like prints from her climbing exploits.

And she owed it all to a child who was going to end the world.

"_Momma!" _the little girl cried again, before slipping on the wintry ice and tumbling onto the pavement of the sidewalk. She picked herself up again, the fall barely fazing her. "It's 2 o'clock!" She suddenly looked very worried and bit the nail of her thumb.

Rouge laughed, a sound that came easier to her now than before. "I'm sure Uncles Tails can wait for us," she said, before bending down and scooping Ruby up in her arms.

Ruby wiggled, her deep, red hair shaking from side to side. "But we're late!" she announced in a sing-song voice. She jumped out of her mother's arms and skipped clumsily down the snow-crusted pavement. "Late, late, late!" she chanted to nothingness.

Rouge smiled again. It was hard not to, in front of Ruby. To think that she could've never experience this… to think that she could've never experienced a love so strong…

And Knuckles wasn't here to see it. Nor was Shadow, her best friend. They never got to see her sit up for the first time, or flap her tiny wings tentatively to take off into the air, or when she had taken her first steps, or when she had found a love for sparkly things that could rival her own mother, or the need to protect everything and everyone around her like the Guardian of the Master Emerald himself…

She sighed. "Oh Ruby…"

Ruby seemed to falter, and turned around to face her. Her large, triangular-ears swiveled towards her to catch the sound of her voice before looking at her face, confusion etched in her eyes.

Rouge laughed again. "We're here! Where are you going?"

Ruby looked back to see that she was several houses ahead of Tails's. "Oh!" she giggled in surprise, before launching herself back with her wings. She crash-landed on her mother's leg and hugged it tightly.

Letting her hang there, she rang Tails's doorbell once. "Ruby, remember what we said about taking Uncle Tails's things…"

Ruby stuck her tongue out and grinned mischievously, her sharp teeth glinting in the sunlight. Her tiny scarf wrapped itself around her mouth, as if to hide the smile. "Umm… " Her face screwed up in concentration.

"You can't play hide-and-seek with Uncle Tails's things!" Rouge said firmly. Then she leaned down and added in a whisper, "… as long as Uncle Tails doesn't know, that is…"

"Ahem."

Rouge straightened up. Tails was at the door, his arms crossed and tapping his foot.

Rouge smirked. "I'm kidding, of course." She winked at Ruby, who laughed and ran at Tails.

"Uncle Tails!" she squealed. Tails picked her up and spun her inside his tiny workshop, and she laughed in delight.

"How's my favourite niece?" he asked rhetorically, setting her down. Ruby was also quite aware that this was a rhetorical question, and just laughed, waving away the question. She toddled away from him into some other room, leaving wet, snowy footprints as she did.

Rouge observed all this while leaning against the doorframe. "Don't tell me that she's grown since the last time you saw her, because I know better than you that she did," she said, before Tails could open his mouth.

Tails blinked at her, before giving her a tight smile. "You read my mind."

"Hmm… did I?" She pushed herself off the doorframe and peeled off her winter jacket. She threw it carelessly aside, clearly at home at Tails's. She saw the fox tense, his eyes growing immediately wary. Rouge smirked again. "You're keeping something from me," she observed idly.

Tails looked away. "No… it's nothing… just… well, you know that today is…"

"I'm well aware," she replied dryly, cutting him off. "But the past is the past, and there's no use mourning anymore."

Tails's lips thinned. "Not everyone is doing as well as you, Rouge…"

Rouge felt before she actually saw the glimmering of pain in his eyes. Immediately, she dropped her idle manner, her expression softening. "I'm sorry, Tails…"

"This isn't about me," Tails muttered. His scuffed his shoes together nervously. "It's been exactly one year since Cream… you know… and… Vanilla came to visit today…"

"Oh," was Rouge's only reply. She should've known.

"Vanilla's been acting really weird…" Tails pressed on. When he still didn't get an answer, he continued. "You don't think she'll…"

Rouge's brow knitted together. "You mean, if Vanilla's planning to _off _herself?" She frowned. She paused, thinking. "No… she wouldn't. Not yet, at least."

"Not _yet?" _asked Tails, raising an eyebrow.

"There's still one little thing keeping her mind from being totally at peace, isn't there?" she asked. "Amy."

Tails breathed out. He rubbed the fur on his neck. "You mean, revenge?"

"…" Rouge looked up at the ceiling. Vanilla - revenge? It didn't seem likely, but… she had asked herself that question many times before. And even if she knew her own answer – and wasn't ready to share it yet – she thought that she might know Vanilla's.

"I think she might want to… ask Amy a few questions," she said as carefully as she could.

"Questions?" he asked, pressing her on.

"Yes…" she said, slowly. "Questions about… Nathaniel…"

"You think she can bring Cream back to life?" he asked, a little too quickly.

Rouge couldn't help the surge of pity that rose in her chest as she looked at his bright, shining eager eyes. For a second, she could see the old Tails, ready to leap and jump at every opportunity, not this new Tails who seemed to work with a silent purpose in everything he did, never willing to move unless he absolutely had to.

She missed the old Tails, even if she had never known him truly well until recently. He was still just a kid, after all…

She closed her eyes, choosing her answer carefully. "Maybe…" That was the only answer she could provide, for now.

He didn't look satisfied, but let the matter drop. Rouge was grateful – it was starting to go towards uncomfortable grounds…

Sometimes, the life given back towards her daughter could be a blessing and a curse. She was happy that Ruby could be alive with her… but now that the idea of bringing dead beings back to life was in Tails head, it seemed to consume his very being, even bringing him to a point where he had asked if he could "test" Ruby for "different energy patterns" that may "hold the secret to life." Or something like that. When she had vehemently refused, he never brought the subject up again.

"So… why did you call me?" she asked, to break the usual uncomfortable silence that settled between them whenever Cream was brought up.

"Oh… yes…" he said, suddenly intensely interested in a hole in his glove. "Umm… I just wanted to ask about… Eggman… and Ruby…"

Rouge froze. "W-what do they have to do with one another, exactly…?" she asked, trying to control the sudden glitch in her breathing.

"N-nothing…" He tried to look up at her, but shied away from her scorching gaze. "Nothing _really…"_

"'Nothing really?'" she repeated. _"'Nothing really?'" _She took another step towards him, but he didn't move. "What's going on?"

"Eggman told me… that he might be able to find _them… _if he can… do some tests on Ruby…" his voice trailed off feebly as Rouge quivered with rage.

"Don't tell me you _sold _us to _Eggman!" _she nearly screamed in anger.

"No! It's not like that! I just thought that if it'll help our chances of finding them in any way…"

"Hah!" Rouge laughed scornfully. "Is this really about finding _them _anymore?"

Tails tensed. "I…"

"This is about bringing people back from the dead now, isn't it?"

"Don't…"

"This is only about Cream now, isn't it?"

"Don't!" Tails suddenly burst out, his fur quivering.

Rouge sneered. "I won't agree with it, Tails! I won't give you my daughter for your own selfish reasons!"

Tails stomped his foot. It was extremely childish, but he didn't seem to care. "Damn it, Rouge! If you won't give him your daughter… then… then you're just like them! You're as selfish as we all are!"

Rouge breathed in sharply. "Well – that… who or what I'm like doesn't matter at the moment!"

"What about Knuckles? Don't you want to…"

"Damn it!" Rouge swore loudly. "You see, that's the difference between you and me! The dead should _stay _dead! The living… the living need to move on! I can't… I can't mourn for him… for the rest of my life…" she suddenly found herself whispering.

"Mommy? Uncle Tails?"

Both looked up. Ruby stared at them, wide-eyed. She tilted her head, confused by their yelling, her eyes plastered to her head. "Was Ruby… naughty?" Her eyes suddenly filled with tears.

"No… no, Ruby, it wasn't you…" Rouge turned around for a split second to walk towards her.

Something cold – metal – touched her back.

She couldn't move.

"I'm sorry Rouge… but…"

Something like lightening ran through her back, and she screamed. She could hear Ruby screaming with her, trying to run towards her. _'No, stay back!' _she wanted to shout, but all she could do was scream as lightening forced itself down her throat and tore her apart from the inside.

She fell slowly, slowly, her body hitting the floor with a strangely soft _'thud.' _He could see Tails standing over her, a taser in his hand and suppressed horror written all over his face.

Her vision faded away even as she struggled to keep herself conscious. She couldn't move, couldn't think…

She couldn't save Ruby…

* * *

She was high, high up above the snowy ground, where the sky could reach out and touch her and the cold laced itself around her face. She couldn't fall, because someone – maybe the wind? – would be there to catch her.

There was so much, so much that Naomi could see from this high above. She snuggled down in the bare branches of the old, weathered, but sturdy tree, and could almost hear an ancient heartbeat pulse under her fingertips.

Amy – or mommy – both were one and the same to her – was far, far below her, a wrinkly scarf wrapped around her neck as she looked at Nathaniel. Her brother was having fun in the huge snow piles and trying, with little success, to make a snowball. Naomi giggled, her long hair whipping around her eyes. Amy turned around at the sound and smiled at her, waving. Naomi's giggling abruptly stopped, and she looked away. Amy seemed sad… so sad…

Why was Amy so sad? Naomi frowned, puckering her face in concentration. How come every time Amy smiled at her, she could feel her sadness? Her thoughts were as scattered as snowflakes caught in a storm, her emotions fleeting as quickly as a frightened bird's. Naomi wanted to know _why. Why _was mommy so sad all the time? She picked listlessly at a hole in her glove. She wanted mommy to be happy!

She shook herself. Maybe, if she could get _it, _then mommy would be happy! Yes, that made sense. Everyone loves presents.

She looked up. Mommy had not seen _it _yet – she was too busy watching Nathan.

She reached up, her frosty glove sticking to the bark of the next branch. She heaved herself up, her little legs dangling in mid-air for a moment, before they swung up and knocking icicles off into the snow. Nearly there – two branches to go.

She breathed in deeply, letting air rush to her lungs. It was quite unfair that she wasn't as strong as Nathan, that even his quills were a deeper, healthier green than her sickly, pale ones. But at least her eyes were prettier.

Reaching up, she clung onto the next branch, and looked down. She was so high up! She laughed. Nathan would never be able to climb as high as her.

Finally, one more branch, and she had _it _in her hands.

_It _was really pretty. It was big too – she had to carry it with both her arms. Pure white, like snow, only shaped into a jewel, it shone with her reflection, and yet it refracted light into a million different colours. A warm, soft light seemed to beat inside it. It was something that mommy would want, wasn't it?

She let it drop onto the snow way below her, since she needed both her arms to climb. As she reached the last branch, she took one last look around her, just to see again how high up she was, and dropped to the ground, landing beside the big jewel.

She picked it up, looking at her reflection one more time. "Momm-Amy!" she called, fixing her mistake just in time. Amy would always get even sadder when she called her "Mommy."

"Yes?" The pink hedgehog turned around and smiled at her. Amy was pretty too, even prettier than the big jewel she had in her hands. Even when it was pitch dark, her skin and hair would shine, and she always had a smile for both her and her brother.

If she could make Amy happy… make her happy just this once…

"Look!" she shouted in excitement, racing towards her and holding the white jewel high.

Amy's smile suddenly froze, and Naomi stopped dead in her tracks. Confusion shone in her eyes. Did she do something wrong?

And Nathan… he was looking at her too, his eyes suddenly turning weirdly white. She backed away from him, fear suddenly making her heart beat loudly. "Nathan?" she asked.

Nathan's quills flared, and she couldn't sense her brother anymore. He was something else.

He looked at the white jewel again, and his lips stretched into a greedy smile.

"Mine…" he whispered. He blinked his white eyes again, and stepped towards his sister…

* * *

**_A/N: _**Hmm... hope you guys like this chapter. I'm not quite sure what to make of it myself... it's a bit different from what I'd usually write, so I'm kinda confused about it... Ehh... well, you guys might've liked it at the very least, and that'll make me happy too :) Getting Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games would make me _really, really, really _happy... ecstatic, even... I've been dropping hints like the U.S drop bombs... 'Cause I really, really want it... _Really..._

Or maybe I should just go to bed and make sure my head is screwed on right. That might work too :)

Also, if anyone has any Sonic fanfics that they could recommend, I'd appreciate it, even if it's your own. And it'd be nice if the author actually updates it too (cough, cough)

**Anonymous Reviews:**

**DeniedLuv: **YAY! AN ANONYMOUS REVIEW! Yeah... The Queen of Aces did a nice job with the last chapter, didn't she? Glad you like it :)

The Queen of Aces

azngirlchibi


	19. Chapter 19

_**A/N:**_ Um...I dunno what to say...I'm standing on my computer in my boxers with the biggest fucking bowl of ice cream in front of me. Yum. Anyone like strawberry and chocolate? Yum yum yum.

Alright, lets get these teen hearts beating faster... (I love that song)

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

_"Yes, there's something disgusting and repulsive in me. And I don't fit in with other people. It's pride, they say. No, there's no pride in me either. If there were any pride, I wouldn't have put myself into such a position. Yes, she was bound to choose him. It had to be so, and I have nothing and no one to complain about. I myself am to blame. What right did I have to think that she would want to join her life with mine? Who am I? And what am I? A worthless man, of no use to anyone or for anything."_

_-From the classic novel: Anna Karenina_

* * *

Sonic the Hedgehog closed his eyes, feeling the blessed numbness sweep over his worn form like a beating wave as he fell face down into the dirt. 

The snow was cold and seemed to creep under his gloves and soak the tips of his fingers, and down to his curled toes, freezing them like rigor mortis on a corpse. He almost gave a laugh at the comparison, as if they were two separate things, when in truth they were so, so close. His voice rolled on as an agonized moan, dragging like a ghostly wail that echoed throughout the entire clearing.

His stomach beat against his sides in absolute and utter hunger, having been denied proper care for the past couple of years. It was amazing that he was still alive; the image of his body was frightening with self-induced torture. He wished he could give his body what it needed, oh what he would give to make them both happy!

He imagined her face in between the fleeting flashes of pain, her eyes so unbelievably dazzling. Sonic felt the smallest, sudden touch, and he noticed how warm it was, stroking the line of his jaw, at the spaces between his ribs and tenderly nuzzling his cheek. This touch, so heavenly loving, so wanted. He wondered if maybe he had already gone cold, in comparison to the heated contact. The soothing smell came to his senses immediately, and the moment it registered, his body jerked in desperation and shock. His head lifted, his eyes snapping open in disbelief.

It couldn't be her, could it?

His vision was blurred, the figure practically a brush that barely contrasted to the white scenery. His hand shook as it fought to touch it, keeping his hand on it long enough to feel features he knew. A small round nose, warm finely tuned cheeks, and doe-shaped eyes. His hand fell, now useless.

No matter, he knew who it was.

As the touch came again, it wrapped its arms around him, as he closed his eyes once more, a tear slipping and landing on the snow.

I thought you hated me, he resisted saying, but it filled his mind. He began to cry, opening under her care like a wilted flower to water. He felt it feel his bones, sinking into his veins and warming him bitterly, all too late. The darkness seemed to be catching up, even as he fought it, the first time in years. No, he cried, I just got her back. I can't lose her.

He took a chilling breath, thinking that this was worth dying for. She was worth dying for. Hadn't he proved that countless times? Didn't he try to tell her once? After the wake of a disaster, only to have her withdraw and leave, which lead to his demise, eventually. He thought of her face after he had kissed her, terrified, cornered, hurt and wishing. He remembered when he had tried to bandage her bloody hand, how her skin inched away from him in horror though she did not move an inch.

How could someone who coaxed him entire life to love, be so pained when he finally did? How could she care for him, and leave when she realized he felt the same way? He thought of her, beautiful and devastating, his other half.

And whether she wanted to admit it, he knew, and he would take it to his grave. That Amy Rose, though she was good and kind and lovely and precious, was also a skilled deceiver.

* * *

Nathaniel knew how to do a lot of things.

For starters, he knew how to use good manners and how to set up the table for dinner time. He knew how to color inside the lines in his coloring book, and he knew how to read the first three sentences in his 'Mickey Mouse Playtime' book. He knew how to wash off his plate when he was done eating, he knew how to swim without his floaties, and he even knew how to make his bed and tie his shoes.

But, never, did he ever, know what to do when his sister was crying.

She lay in the snow, bent over while holding onto her stomach, her curls falling over her face like a shield between them. His mother stood a couple of feet away, panting and wiping her cheek, which sported a gash that trickled out blood, scaring him. As he stared, he felt himself taking a step back. What had happened? His limbs were failing, his body too big for him, his mind scrambling for the right decision. One minute, Naomi had been waving something at them. The next...this. Everyone silent, in pain, staring at him.

Him.

Did he do something wrong?

Why, could he not, remember?

Why did it feel like his body was completely drained?

His eyes dilated as his mother lifted her face to look at him. He flinched, expecting her to yell, expecting to be punished though he didn't know why. But as she stepped towards him, she fell onto her knees and wrapped her arms around him, clinging to him like he was a second life-line. She pulled him closer to her, though he did not respond, his arms glued to his sides, while he merely stood still as she started to cry. She whispered into him like a prayer. "My whole heart." she was saying, as she cried. "Please." she was sobbing. "Please..." she said this over and over, like a mantra.

Naomi was struggling to stand, her hands still pulsing around her flat and hurt stomach. As she stared at him, he saw past his mother's thick pink hair and watched her expression turn soft and sorry. Like she was feeling sympathy, for him. His teeth gritted in frustration. He ducked his head into his mother's shoulder, ashamed and withdrawn.

Why were they looking at him so weird? Like he was going to cry? He pouted. Didn't they know that only cry-babies actually did that? Didn't they know that crying was stupid? That it made you look dumb, and little? Like you were a baby all over again! His eyes narrowed, suddenly disgusted.

"Mama?" he managed, lifting his face to her, calling her by a title he had given her himself. His eyes stared at her like she was someone he did not know. "What did I do?" he asked, his voice edging into confusion. As she looked at him, her tear-filled eyes softened and her mouth parted. When she said nothing, he moved his hand and gently traced the gash on the side of her face. "Did I do bad?" he asked, face concerned. "Did I hurt you?"

This seemed to break her. As she buried her face back into him, she shook her head in denial. "No, Nathaniel." she told him, swallowing. "No. You didn't. It was an accident. That's all. An accident."

He blinked. "Oh." then, he frowned. "I wanna go home now." he declared, eyes resolved.

Amy scooped him up in her arms, before extending her free hand and managing to hold onto Naomi as well. "Come on." she whispered lowly, as she smiled. "We don't want to catch a cold, now, do we?"

Nathaniel shook his head. Naomi smiled. "Nuh-uh." she replied enthusiastically. As she talked on the way home, the accident was soon forgotten, as they giggled so hard their sides hurt, weaving dreamy tales about what they would do on Christmas, which included making smores on the fireplace and opening presents.

As Amy listened, she thought, only:

I am as happy as I can be, almost.

* * *

Sonic stirred, his mind slowly re-booting itself like a worn computer, as he opened his eyes to see that he was, in fact, not in the middle of the clearing.

What? He blinked, his mind becoming more alert. Then where am I? He thought, as he coughed weakly.

No, he was definately not in the forest. But inside a home, on a couch. He felt numb, unable to move, and when he tried wiggling his toes, he was surprised to find that he was wrapped in soft blankets, the heat from a crackling fire feeling a lot like redemption on his freezing form. He swallowed, the realization dawning on him, instantly bittering. So he was still alive...his heart stretched in dissapointment, and he knew that he had been fed, for his stomach was calm and dorment for the time being. He leaned his head away from the sight of the house, sighing.

Then, in a flash, he remembered the touch. The person he had recognized, and the smell that he had longed for since their seperation.

"Amy!" he gasped out, before he heard the sound of footsteps as he whipped his head around, expecting to see her there. A smile died at his lips as the figure before him became visible in his foggy vision. It was not Amy. He frowned and let his dead drop back onto the pillow in defeat. In frustration, he huffed. The figure came closer to him, an old woman with honey skin and a small petite form. Her dark hair was in a long braid, her black eyes watching him carefully.

Wait...

Sonic watched the old woman, seeing her face and placing each individual facial feature. The same ones he had claimed to know in the forest, and as the woman sat down on a stool beside the couch, he felt his soul yearn as he thought, simply: she bears an uncanny resemblance.

"I see you're awake." the old woman greeted him, and as she sat down a bowl of steaming water on the table in front of him, she dipped a white washcloth into it, and proceeded to wring it out, carefully and with a purpose. As she set it on his forehead, he shivered, before his eyes softened. His voice strained awfully so, barely audible as he whispered to her.

"You look..." he stopped, before he frowned and looked away. "...like someone." he whispered, finishing.

The woman gave a smile that lit her eyes. "So do you." she laughed. Before stopping and taking various herbs from her pocket and began mixing them in the bowl, talking to fill the silence. "I tell you, I've never seen someone survive a beating like that. I found you in the forest, bruises all over you, barely able to move. At first I thought I had come too late..." she smiled even softer, breaking his bitter shield. "This mixture will help your body adjust. Don't want you going into septic shock, now, do we?"

Sonic swallowed. "Why would you help me?" he managed. "Don't you know who I am? What I've done?"

The woman took the bowl, and began flickering some of the mixture on him, her bracelets ringing as she flicked her wrist. She took awhile before she sighed. "Yes, I do." she answered him, before she briskly added. "Now, would you like some hot chocolate? Or maybe some tea?"

Sonic stared. "I don't understand." he searched, desperate. "How could you help me? After all that I let happen?"

The woman scrunched up her nose, the exact same way Amy used to. Every movement she made was unbelievably mimicking, even as she blinked and replied gingerly. "It's called mercy. It's being kind and sympathetic, and understanding." she frowned in disapproval. "Oh, how the youth is wasted on the young." as she waved, she stared at his face and smiled once more. She seemed to do a lot of that. "Don't you know how to be saved?" she giggled. "Don't you know what it's like to have a hero instead of being the hero?"

Sonic clutched at the blankets. 'Amy...'

"Someone saved me once," he whispered, looking away.

"Twice." The woman corrected, her bronze skin glowing under the fire's light. Sonic could not help but leak out a wavering grin. As the woman stood up, she clapped her hands. "Alright, lunch is almost ready! I'll bring it up for you!" she turned to leave, already starting to walk away.

"Wait!" Sonic called weakly. As she turned, he allowed himself to mutter out. "Thank you...Miss...uh..."

The woman relaxed, telling him. "Rosalina." she spoke as she watched his face. "Just call me Rose."

* * *

Through the capsule that contained their preserved bodies, Tails watched the still faces of all his friends that had been killed.

His time chambers had been a success, and to his amazement, none of them had aged a day, neither Knuckles nor Shadow nor Cream. They all looked exactly like they did before, merely sleeping as if they could wake at any moment. From here, with only the glass between them, they looked alive, almost.

But almost wasn't good enough. Not for him. Not for Cream.

Not for Rouge, not for Ruby.

Why couldn't they see that he was trying to make them happy again?

He swallowed as he turned, seeing Dr. Robotnik and their newest machine.

This was the right thing.

He didn't want to hurt the kids, not anymore. He didn't care about the prophecy, he didn't care that he was going to be the reason millions died.

All he wanted was her. Just to spend his numbered days with her.

She made him smile. She made him happy. He would not let her slip away.

His throat closed as he heard the little girl scream.

It was the right thing.

He turned back to the capsules, watching them. For some reason, they were all smiling, as if death was a pleasurable thing. Cream looked rested, bubbly, and joyous again.

He smiled.

If only he could keep all of them like this. Cast in amber, happy forever.

He closed his eyes.

This, he was certain, was the right thing to do.

* * *

**_A/N: _**azngirlchibi really, really likes The Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass.

That is all.

**Anonymous Reviews:**

**Triumvirus: **That's an extremly depressing idea... I can't really say anything without giving anything away... But technically, they already are destroying their world, since over half of them is dead now anyway, so... I have no idea where I'm going with this either, but I can't say anything without giving anything away XD Thanks for reading, anyway!

**Ciel: **Do you mean, "Persephone?" 'Cause I do read her fics every now and then :) I loved "Black Coffee" XD I was thinking that too many of the characters are getting depressing and everything, so it'd be nice if at least one of the characters recovered somewhat. Why Rouge? I dunno. I've always like her, though others would probably more than disagree with me XD Can't say much more though, unless you want to be spoiled silly X) Thanks for reading!

The Queen of Aces

azngirlchibi


	20. Chapter 20

**_A/N: _**You... guys... are... so... AWESOME! OVER 200 FREAKING REVIEWS! It... it just makes me want to... bawl my eyes out! DO YOU KNOW HOW FREAKING HAPPY THIS MAKES ME? IT MAKES ME _VERY _HAPPY!

You are all so great. Really. Thank you very, very, VERY much.

Enjoy the chapter!

**

* * *

**

**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

"_After the meeting, Doon walked back to the hotel feeling vaguely uneasy. Tick must be right, but somehow Doon didn't feel wholehearted about being a warrior. Was it because he was a coward? He didn't want to be a coward. He didn't really think he was one. What was his problem, then?"_

_-"The People of Sparks" by Jeanne DuPrau

* * *

_

He tapped the glass with is thick, gloved fingers, but the figure in the capsule did not stir.

Of course, he hadn't expected them to awaken – at least, not really. He may be what many considered a "mad scientist," but he certainly wasn't that far gone. And by that, he meant that his mind was still intact, that he could still think, and that he could still do what he wanted. He wasn't the insane, "follow the voice in your head" type. Sure his ideas were dangerous, deadly; maybe even far-fetched. But that was what being a mad scientist – any scientist – was all about: turning far-fetched ideas into reality. Taking over the world wasn't _that _impossible.

It was far more possible than bringing back the dead, anyway.

_'But back to the point…' _His dark glasses flashed as he tapped the glass again, none too gently. But who needed to be gentle with the dead, especially your dead enemy?

He frowned. _'Bringing back the dead…' _Yes, that was what Tails wanted, even if he didn't say it out loud. All of his ideas, his goals, his plans – all of them were for the dead rabbit in the third capsule to his right: Specimen 3-1 – Cream the Rabbit.

She was the only reason in the whole world that the fox would throw away all his principles and morals, and join up with his "big brother's" eternal rival – Doctor Eggman.

Doctor Eggman blinked, stroking his mustache thoughtfully. Strange – he had just thought of the dead ones in the capsules as "enemies," but thought of Sonic as a "rival." Hmm… maybe he was more far gone than he had thought he was. _'Or maybe I'm just getting old. Yes, that must be it.'_

He quickly raked his eyes over the machine, built by Tails and Eggman together. It was strange working with the fox. His steely silence was almost unnerving. Now that he thought about it, he could only think of one memorable conversation he had with him, which was back on the ARK after defeating the Biolizard. Hadn't he been… bubblier, sunnier, back then?

And now… all this nonsense about bringing back the dead…

_'Irrational,' _he thought to himself, irritated. Why had he accepted the fox's invitation, anyway? Well, not invitation – he had practically shoved himself in the doctor's face.

_'Bah… bringing back the dead… nonsense…' _He traced a new wrinkle on his forehead. _'Sonic, you left the fox much too early. You really should've stayed. At least… you made things interesting. Now I'm bringing back the dead…'_

His finger stopped mid-way down the wrinkle. _'You really should've stayed…' _Did he really just think that, and of Sonic of all people?

_'… I'm just getting old, that's all…'_

Because never, ever in a thousand years, could he ever want to see that blue hedgehog's face again. Ever.

"Doctor Eggman?"

He turned around, and was met with Tails's piercingly-blue eyes. He felt his heart leap nervously, though he made sure he didn't give his feelings away. Ridiculous – how could a fifty-something year-old be afraid of a ten year-old?

"How's Ruby doing?" Tails asked, but not out of concern. It was in the off-hand voice of a scientist asking if the pet rats that he was experimenting on were reacting as predicted. No… Tails was not feeling remorse for what he did, nor did he feel sympathy for a child's pain.

Not that the doctor himself did either, of course…

"Fine," the Doctor answered curtly. "…Just as we expected."

Tails just nodded. "Good. I think it's time to reveal our findings to Rouge."

Doctor Eggman nodded, but his mind was elsewhere. As the fox turned around, he found himself trying to bore holes into the back of Tails's head. Though they were working together, he only knew half of Tails's thoughts. And even though he did not know all of the boy's plans, he could feel that he was planning something.

Something big.

And when it happened… he would be there to stop it?

_'What could this child possibly be planning?' _

The Doctor was _scared _of him.

He almost laughed at the thought. It wasn't really that surprising, of course. The Doctor had always been weak, had always held back. He wasn't like Tails – he wasn't ready to give up everything, _everything, _for his cause.

That was why Doctor Eggman always lost.

He clenched his fists, suddenly angry. Why was he stuck working with such a weakling? Bile rose in his throat, and he almost turned around and struck his old nemesis across the face. Without the old man holding him back, he could be _getting _somewhere. Cream could be by his side by now… but the fact remained that he just didn't have enough technology and equipment to do much on his own. Working with Eggman supplied him with everything that he needed.

He snorted silently as he passed through the hallway, the sound of Doctor Eggman's footsteps always half a step behind him. _'Stupid Doctor… I'd never be as weak as him…'_

A door at the end of the blank, white hallway immediately leaped aside for him. He smirked as he walked passed, leaving the brightness of light bulbs behind him and throwing a blanket of darkness over him.

_"Tails!" _

The Doctor openly flinched at the furious snarl, but Tails just smiled calmly.

"Hi, Rouge."

As his eyes adjusted to the dimness, he could make out Rouge's bedraggled form, chained up against the wall as she struggled ferociously. The chains whined and snapped as they restrained her, cutting deeply into her ankles and wrists.

The old him would've sobbed at the sight, but an icy calmness seemed to radiate from his chest, helping him think clearly.

"What do you _want _from me, Tails?" Rouge snarled again, her pointed teeth barred at him. Blood ran down her arms as her wrists bled, blotching her pure-white fur.

Right on cue, Ruby screamed.

Rouge suddenly stilled, and she cried out along with her daughter. _"Let me go Tails!" _She kicked furiously, but even her strength couldn't break the chains. "Y-You…" She choked, as if the chains had caught themselves around her throat. "I can't believe I trusted you… for all these years…"

Tails smirked again. "Yeah… you thought you knew me so well, didn't you?"

"I-I…" She shook her head, thrashing back and forth with all her strength. "You can't keep me here forever!"

"I'm not going to, Rouge."

"Oh yeah?" Her eyes narrowed with a burning hate. "Are you going to experiment on me, like you are to my daughter?" she spat.

"Of course I'm not," Tails answered. Suddenly, he shook his head, and for a second, his old voice returned. "Please, Rouge. I'm not going to hurt you if I don't have to. If you just came when I asked-"

"I'd _still _be here, minus the chains." Rouge lifted a wrist, showing him the blood-stained metal cuff.

Tails shook his head sadly. "Rouge, you don't understand…"

Her eyes flashed angrily. "I _understand, _Tails! I know what it's like to lose a loved one! But there's always still something to live for! Others don't have to _suffer _for me."

Tails looked away from her, his eyes closing. Suddenly, she was just too much to look at. "Do you really think that crap is going to get through to me?"

"But _bringing back the dead, _Tails?" He heard the creaking of metal, the contempt in her voice that brought a raging fire of anger coursing through his veins.

"Don't make it sound like it's impossible!" He opened his eyes, meeting her contempt with his. "I was there with you when he… _it…_ brought Ruby back to life. _I saw it! _I _know _it's possible!" He could feel himself shaking with agitation, his pulse beating at the very thought of the wild things he could accomplish. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "But that's not what I'm here to tell you about. I'm here to _help _you."

"H-_help?_" Rouge spluttered in indignation. "I'm chained up against the wall, and you've _kidnapped my daughter, _not to mention that I had to hear your stupid plans for bringing back the dead, and now, _you want to help?"_

"They're not _stupid!" _He swore loudly, a string of profanities leaving his mouth. His fury broke through him like a tide washing over the top of a cliff. "You don't understand, Rouge! We've been lead on; lead on for _years _because of… of those two!" He couldn't bring himself to say they're names – saying them hurt, like trying to swallow thorns. "They've kept on giving us false hopes – first that they could come back, then that the twins might not destroy the world after all. And I've seen _you, _Rouge…" He marched up to her, jabbing her hard in the chest. She hissed in pain. "… I've seen _you _be happy, grow stronger all those years because your daughter had been brought back to life. Well guess what, Rouge? _She's going to die again!"_

A profound silence rang in the air. Tails saw a dozen emotions flash by her face – pain, disbelief, outrage, and finally, horror.

_'Got you.'_

"What… are you talking about?" she whispered, as if all of Tails's yelling had sucked the volume out of her.

The Doctor suddenly cleared his throat, making the two jump up. They had forgotten about him.

"Rouge… Tails told me that Nathaniel brought your daughter back to life, correct?"

Rouge nodded dumbly.

"You see, all Nathaniel really did was send a strong jolt of Chaos energy through Ruby's body. It's acting as her life-stream – blood, you might say – at the moment. But unlike blood, it won't create new blood cells to replace the dead ones." The Doctor stroked the front of his suit, staring intently at Rouge. "Her body uses up that Chaos energy to keep itself running. But since her body doesn't know how to create new Chaos energy, her body will eventually use up all the ones that Nathaniel gave to her. And when it does…"

"… Ruby will die…" Rouge finished in a whisper.

"And you'll have nothing left to live for, Rouge." Rouge jerked her head up to meet Tails's eyes. For a moment, he could see a shadow of grief in her eyes, the same one that he could feel beating loudly, insistently with his heart every second.

"It… it can't be… true…" Her voice broke, a sob escaping. "But… I just got her back…"

"And you need to help us, if you want to keep her Rouge." He held her tear-glazed eyes with his. "I don't want her to die anymore than you do. Doctor Eggman and I have found a way to use Nathaniel's energy so that we can keep her alive indefinitely. But her time's running out. You need to decide now Rouge – your daughter…" He paused. "… Or a little boy you barely know."

Rouge's lid swept over her eyes, shielding herself from his view. He saw a few stray tears escape and disappear into the ground. "You… bastard… Tails…" she managed to croak. "I don't… really have a choice on this… do I?" Her form fell limp, and the chains seemed to sigh with relief. "… What do you want me to do?"

"… We need you to track them down for us. Bring Nathaniel to us. We'll need him… If you want to save your daughter."

Rouge shook. "You… I hate you…"

Tails merely turned away from her. The Doctor had already walked out and was at the door.

And even as the first cries from Rouge reached him, he couldn't help…

… But smile.

He had won.

* * *

_It wasn't fair._

Amy closed her eyes, her cut stinging as she tried to clean it.

_It wasn't fair._

She had thought that she'd left it all behind – the supernatural powers, the legend, her past – _everything._

And now… it was back.

'_It's not fair!'_

She had worked so hard! For two years she had run, desperately escaping from the darkness that clung to her, taking the kids with her.

But she might as well been trying to run from her own shadow.

And then that day… when the Chaos Emerald appeared… it had brought everything back. After two years of hopeful bliss, it cracked her life wide open.

She opened her eyes again, her own pair of eyes staring straight back at her. Her hand clutched around the box of bandages, crushing them into the lid popped open and bandages spilled everywhere. Her hand turned white from the strain.

Why did it have to be her? How come that stupid legend haunted her wherever she went?

_'Why won't it just leave me alone?'_

She took a deep breath. _'No, it doesn't matter,' _she thought to herself. _'I'd decided that a long time ago – legend or not, I'm going to take care of them.' _

Abruptly, she turned away from the bathroom mirror. She couldn't look at herself anymore.

"Amy?"

She forced herself to smile. "Yes, Nathaniel?"

The little boy stared back at her, eyes wide as he peeked around the doorframe. "Umm… Naomi says she's sorry."

"For what?" Her question came out sharper than she'd intended. "I mean, there's nothing for her to be sorry for," she said, trying to soften her tone.

"… She said that she wanted you to be happy…" Nathaniel smiled tentatively at her, fidgeting with his quills.

Amy pressed her lips together, something other then her cut starting to sting. "I'm not sad, Nathan."

Nathaniel just stared at her, his eyes going even wider. "… Umm… Sorry I made you sad too…" he said, as if she hadn't spoken at all.

"Y-You didn't…"

"Me and Naomi thought of a even better present." His lips pulled back into a smile, as he put something down on the floor.

"I s-see…"

Nathaniel tilted his head, looking at her quizzically. "Umm… Amy?"

Amy breathed in deeply again. Everything seemed to be stinging all of the sudden. "Yes?"

"Be happy, Mommy. Please?"

He turned away before she could say anything.

Her vision was starting to swim, and she angrily wiped them dry. What was she doing, crying anyway? She was done crying.

She bent down, her pink hair falling softly around her face as she picked up Nathan and Naomi's "present." Her heart stopped.

It was a small black book. The one she had started keeping three months after they had first run away from everything – her home, her friends, her entire life.

It seemed so long ago. She couldn't imagine her own hand depicting the things that she had written in these pages. They seemed to be from a different person – a happier, more naïve person.

A corner of one page had been turned down in it. Hesitantly, she opened the black cover.

Immediately, she wished she hadn't.

_He _was staring back at her, his picture glued onto the page. He was smiling at the camera – smiling at _her, _the trees vividly green behind him, the sunlight bright as it bounced off his form. His teeth glinted brightly, his eyes un-shadowed by hardship and sadness. She silently traced the picture. She couldn't quite remember his face so alive…

On the bottom, she had written just one sentence.

_"When the sunlight hits his face just right, his eyes match the tops of the trees around him – maybe that's why he likes them so much."_

She stopped breathing. When had she written this? And why was she reading it _now? _

Why couldn't she just get away from it all?

Why wouldn't he just leave her _alone?_

_

* * *

**A/N: **_And that's it. It doesn't quite go to our usual 3000 word chapters... but it's close enough... right?

Sorry, I'm a little sick right now, and the medicine makes me hyper... or high. Well, it makes me kinda sleepy too, but hyper at the same time XD

Anyway, THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR REVIEWS! Over 200 reviews... I honestly never thought it'd go so high. So on behalf of the two of us, THANKS!

**Anonymous Reviews:**

There isn't any... :(

The Queen of Aces

azngirlchibi


	21. Chapter 21

**_A/N:_** Have a merry, merry Christmas! This is sort of like my present to all of ya'll.

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

-"There's no escape now, no mercy no more. No remorse cause...I still remember. The smile when you tore me apart. You took my heart, deceived me right from the start. You showed me dreams; I wish they'd turn into real. You broke a promise, and made me realize. It was all just a lie."

-Within Temptation  
"Angels"

* * *

Whenever Amy dreamed, it was always the same thing.

It was always that exact moment, at that exact place, a complete replica of a memory she kept alive by thinking of it constantly.

Except this time, the gun seemed weightless in her hand, and as she stared back at a certain blue hedgehog, her eyes turned to slits.

She knew what she knew now, that she would leave him, and she remembered exactly where she was, out there in the real world. In the real world, she was two years older, stronger, and an indefinite improvement. In the real world, the children in her dream were not so little, but were growing, their smiles ones of absolute joy.

In the real world, Sonic was still alive.

In the dream, he lifted his face to settle his eyes on hers. Amy sighed, knowing how this would all end. First, she would talk to him, and then she would drop the gun and allow herself to be embraced by him.

But this time, instead of waiting for her, the dream hero took a step towards them. "How are you?" he asked courtly, and as she huffed, he gave a smile. "So you're still as defiant." He gave a laugh. "How are the twins? Naomi? Nathaniel?" he stopped laughing, his expression sobering. "I've missed you so much."

Amy jumped back, having no idea what to do. This was not her usual dream; this was not how it went. She could not mirror his movements or predict his words, not even as they came out of his mouth. Her eyes narrowed further, as they began to circle around each other. She kept the gun pointed to his face, unwilling to let her guard down.

To humor him, she gave the darkest chuckle. "Isn't that just irony?" she teased him, using the emotions she prayed he still felt. Her heart iced over, numbing as if ready to be broken. "You know, you put me through a lot of hell. I sleep with a gun in my hand because I'm afraid that you'll come. The twins haven't even finished the alphabet song, and they know how to turn the safety off a gun and blow." Amy lifted the gun for a second, her words like venom. "But I taught them that. I had to. Because if you come back, I might not be able to stop you." Amy grinned from ear-to-ear, knowing her words were like torture. "For a hero, you're awfully good at destroying lives."

Sonic winced, his eyes hurt. "For a criminal, you're awfully good at telling the truth." He countered back, his mouth tipping into a smile once more. "You always were good at that. But now you've grown into a good liar too, though I never would have thought." Sonic blinked. "I like your hair," he ran a hand through his own quills, as if justifying his completely outrageous and random comment. "It's pretty like that. All long and layered."

Amy stopped, bewildered. "You what?" she exclaimed, tilting her head. "After two years, that's all you want to say to me? 'I like your hair'?" Amy stumbled back, her expression one of confusion and anger. "You were always crazy." She commented, as she watched him give a laugh.

"You were crazy once too." He replied, taking a step towards her, as if memory lane was a place that he could cross into her.

Amy scowled, in a way that nearly ruined her beautiful face. She did not care; she wanted him to find her repulsive. As she scoffed, she lifted her chin.

"Wrong. I was foolish, once." Her eyes flickered. "Even an entire year of being hunted down, you still thought of it as a game." She felt a new surge of anger freeze her every bone and glue her finger on the trigger. "You're such a kid. You think this is fun?" she screamed, breathing hard. "You still think this is all just another little adventure!?" and with a snap, she was unfrozen, as she pounced.

She smacked the side of his face with the muzzle of the gun, watching the blood stream from his nose and mouth the second it hit. Amy gritted her teeth, raising both arms and crushing his skull as she struck a devastating blow on the side of his head, still half turned from the first hit.

He slammed into the ground, and she felt all her breath leave her. She was unable to let the gun go, still not certain he was dead. Had she looked down, she would have not been surprised to see that the gun had become a part of her. Her eyes narrowed as he staggered up, wiping his mouth with his gloved hand.

Amy shook horribly, caught between wanting to kill him and restraining herself.

"I was wrong to ever trust you with anything." She decided to speak, her voice ragged. "Why did I think you could do anything besides take care of yourself? That's all you care about." She watched his eyes widen as she clenched her free hand. "You never cared about me, or the twins. It was all just a stupid game for you. Just a stupid," her eyes watered. "Stupid game."

"Stop!" By now, Sonic had straightened, but the moment she realized the look of anger on his face, she froze once more. "Just stop." The blue hedgehog growled, glaring at her.

"Don't you dare say that I didn't care." He told her, his voice straining to be level. "I know I did a lot of bad things. I know I'm the scum of the earth and that right now, the only one that wants me alive is a God with a sick sense of humor." He was getting closer to her the whole while, until he was right in front of her. "But what I don't know, is how you could ever think that I never cared." His eyes alit with fire, his teeth barred. "You can tell yourself that, if it helps you sleep at night." Suddenly, he was grabbing her shoulders, her stiff arm making the gun graze his chest as he leaned over. "But don't you…for a single second, believe it."

Amy felt her throat close, until both palms were against him as she shoved so hard that he nearly fell over backwards.

"Really? Because the first chance you got, you rotted us out," she mocked. "If you ever cared, you would have protected us." Her voice was slowly rising. "You would have stopped wallowing in self-pity, instead of becoming a burden to the rest of us. You wouldn't have let this happen…" she shook her head, hysterical. "You wouldn't have let any of this happen."

The sound of a gun exploded into her mind, shattering stars and shaking shadows with its earthquake effect. She felt herself die away as she watched his body fall, until she looked down and saw the gaping hole that had previously been the area where her heart had been.

Amy threw her head back and screamed, knowing now that she could not kill him. In dreams, she could. But in the real world, she could never get that pleasure.

Not because she cared, not because he was once the person she dreamed about marrying every day. Not because he had eyes that were the brightest green, or because he had a smile that made her weak in the knees.

But because if she killed him; she would only be killing herself.

* * *

Vanilla watched her daughter through the stainless glass of the capsule.

Her eyes were brimming with tears that she wouldn't allow herself to cry.

"Oh Cream." She lay a hand where her daughter's cheek was visible, wishing that somehow her child could feel this now. "Darling daughter…" she sank to her knees, watching the little girl the entire time.

"I'm sorry it had to be you."

As she told Cream this one simple fact, she added with a purpose. "And if you can help it. Stay dead with the dead."

* * *

The first thing that the gardener of the cemetery saw that morning; was a dead girl that had crawled out of her grave. 

She was stretched across a new headstone, lying so still and so preciously that anyone would have thought her to be a painting that had been purposely put there.

She had hair the color of cotton candy, glistening and long, like a river that looked so incredibly soft. There was a bruise across her forearm, and it wasn't until he looked closer that he noticed her eyes were underlined with purple, like she had not slept in weeks. Her knees were scraped raw; her legs curled as her dress flattened over her thighs modestly, like she had not died instantly, but collapsed here and thought to take a nap.

There was no blood puddle, no bullet to distort her petite body, no gaping wound or bruises around her slender neck. But she still did not move. As if it was not a chaotic work day here in town and the blaring sounds of people and machines did not exist.

The gardener bent down, wondering if maybe, a higher power had decided to just take her. She seemed too young, too pretty, and all too sad. Maybe she had been alive just minutes before, for her cheeks were still flushed and her body still warm. Her skin was as pale as the marble graves in this particular section, but something about her was absolutely lovely.

The gardener bent down low, his face hovering over hers, mesmerized by the simple curl of her eyelashes.

Only to jump back in terror when her eyes snapped open.

He spun around and took off, screaming something about an angel falling from heaven, or a demon back from hell.

Amy Rose parted her lips as she gasped for air, letting weak little coughs escape occasionally. The simple color of the sky was overwhelming; the brightest of blues with streaks of uncolored masses that she remembered were called clouds.

She blinked a couple of times, making sure it was real. Her bangs hung over her eyes, so that she had to brush them away, as she still lay sleepily, just staring at the atmosphere.

Her eyes caught the small fleeting birds that passed over, and she allowed herself to watch them, forgetting that they were an ordinary event. The softest summer wind came in, wrapping around her like a velvet blanket, the blades of grass tickling her skin as she closed her eyes and breathed. The world underneath her was rotating, so much that her head began to pound.  
Amy shuddered, as she felt the sudden sting of her minor injuries, on her shaking knees and her body. She could not remember how she got here, or where she even was at all. Her head seemed to be making her whole body pulse now, as she weakly grabbed the side of the marble stone and lifted herself up.

Almost immediately, she fell flat onto her back, yelping as pain shot up like morphine traveling through her veins.

I must get home. Her eyes glazed over, as she realized something peculiar. As she stilled, she began to panic. Yesterday, it was covered in snow. She stopped breathing, staring at the season signs of the middle seasons. Where am I? It's supposed to be nearly Christmas time, where is my home? Where is my scarf? And my coat? Where are my…Her eyes snapped wide open in appalled shock.

"Nathaniel?" she called, still lying helplessly. "Naomi!?" she jumped at the pitch in her voice.

Despite her fatigue, she stood on her knees before managing to stay on her feet. When she opened her eyes, she saw that she was not alone.

There, before her, was Cream. Beside her was Knuckles, and Shadow. She limped to them, grabbing Shadow weakly, her eyes so heartbrokenly pained that he could see the world falling apart in her deeply colored irises.

"Where are they?" she whispered, her grip slipping. If his hands hadn't tenderly wrapped around her elbows to prop her upright, she would have collapsed. "What have you done?" she whispered, as his crimson eyes shifted.

With a sad smile, he pulled her closer. "They're safe. You're dreaming." He parted her hair. "We're still dead. And you're still okay." He gave a laugh, his voice still as monotone as ever.

Cream came to them, hugging Amy from the side, nuzzling her affectionately. "I missed you so much, Miss Amy." She mumbled into her skin, before tears slipped down her face. "I'm so sorry. I should have never let you go." Her caramel eyes seemed riddled with admiration that she could remember having once.

Knuckles came at her other side, not hugging or anything sappy like that, but laying his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry too." He told her, as Amy watched the beautiful amethyst of his eyes. "I was so mad at you, so wrapped up in keeping the world together. But I couldn't even see that I was the one tearing it apart."

Amy watched him, before she let out a smile that added beauty to the serene scene before them. "It doesn't matter now." She told him, as she turned her face back into Shadow's chest, breathing. "None of that matters now."

As they sank down into the grass, they all held onto the pink hedgehog. Shadow kept her close, so that she knew that not even death had stifled his love for her. They all wrapped lovingly around her, like a barrier, being her protectors, and allowing themselves to become a second skin that would always keep her warm.

Knuckles broke the silence. "You need to find Sonic." She stilled, while she noticed Shadow had jerked, while Cream had gasped.

After the longest while, she turned her head to face him, looking as if he had just impaled her. "What?" she whispered.

Knuckles looked away, his frown forming. "Something's coming." He finally replied, before he turned to look back at her. "It's coming for Nathaniel. Tikal warned us…that if you don't join forces with Sonic, and protect the little boy…the world will cease to exist."

Amy stared. "What in the world are you saying?" she asked, sitting up a little. "Who's coming? What do they want with Nathaniel?" her voice started to rise. "What good is Sonic to me?" she tried to sit up, but Cream wrapped her arms around her waist and hugged her tightly.

"Miss Amy," she sobbed. "You have to. You have to stay alive." Her tears became a waterfall. "If you don't, who will protect Cheese and my mother?" her voice softened. "And Tails?" she added. As she bawled, she held onto her tighter. "Pretty soon, we'll be back. But not if you don't join forces with Mister Sonic again." Her eyes sparkled. "Please. I have to see my mother one more time. Please Miss Amy. You can't let the world end. What will happen to the Chaos emeralds? And without you two to defend the galaxy, millions will suffer. People like Cosmo. With no home, family killed by powerful villains."

Amy closed her eyes, sinking back down. "But…" her voice trailed off. "But, I don't even know where he is, for starters."

It was Shadow that grinned. And she knew right then that he had his own reason to want to come back to the living. Her, just to be able to really see her, to really feel her in his arms.

Amy wondered if it bothered him to know nothing would ever happen. "Well," he sighed. "You had better start looking."

* * *

**_A/N: _**Merry Christmas, everyone! You know, Happy Holidays and the whole shtick.

... Uhh... not much else to say. Bathroom cleaners killed off my brain cells :P

**Anonymous Reviews:**

**Lightnings Fury: **YAY! An anonymous review! You love it? That's good :) Thanks for reading!

**chibibunnies: **Aww, give Tails a break... The little guy's going through a lot of torture right now (and whose fault is that? Ours, I know XD). Thanks for reading!

**kalsanda: **I take it that you like the story:) Thanks for reading!

That's all for now!

The Queen of Aces

azngirlchibi


	22. Chapter 22

**_A/N: _**HAPPY NEW YEAR! WOOT! Hope you guys had lots of fun... partying... getting drunk... hanging with your friends... reviewing stories... and looking forward to a new year!

Anyway, this is sorta like... a New Year's present to you all. At least think of it that way XD

And yes, if you haven't already noticed, I am on a sudden Harry Potter quote-stealing spree XD Don't ask.

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

_**"Tell me one last thing," said Harry. "Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?"**_

_-From: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows_

* * *

Mommy was so restless all the time now. 

She could never sleep well, and whenever she woke up, her eyes had giant, black circles around them. Sort of like the panda bears in his picture books.

He doodled with his crayon stub for a little while again, before looking back up at Mommy. She was sleeping in late again. He wondered why – she'd never done that before, and he was getting a little hungry.

He caught his sister's eye, who gave him a stern glare. He got the message – _'Let Mommy sleep.'_

His stomach let out an audible growl, and he tried his best to ignore it. He and his sister had promised – no, _pinky _promised – that they were going to try their best to keep Mommy happy, even if it meant that he would have to stop himself from slipping up and calling her "Mommy" to her face.

It was the only reason why he would listen to his twin's schemes. She knew more about all this girly feeling stuff than he did.

He hadn't been so sure about listening to her at first. He was sure that he had known more – he was a boy, after all – but after finding Mommy smiling just a tiny bit more after they had given her that notebook, he decided that _maybe _Naomi knew a little bit more than he did.

Of course, Mommy never took the book out again.

_'Girls are weird…'_

He silently reached for a marker, watching his sister drawing a neat little house with a gel pen from the corner of his eye. He smirked. At least _he _didn't use girly gel pens.

He glanced down at his paper, proceeding to colour in the… _thing_ that he'd drawn. He wasn't quite sure what it was though. It looked sort of like a big jewel – not as sparkly as a normal one would be – maybe he _should _borrow a gel pen…

He was about to quietly ask for one, when a fleeting shape by the window caught his curious eyes…

* * *

She had pulled away from the window just in time. 

She was sure, every second that she was there, that he would look up, or that maybe the girl would, but neither of them did. She was glad that Amy was asleep though – no doubt, Amy would've seen her right away.

Rouge clung effortlessly to the brick wall of the dusty motel, her nails easily sinking into the old structure. She waited a few seconds for the boy to look down again, before cautiously peeking in.

Her sensitive ears twitched instinctively as the twins held a small, whispered conversation before the little girl passed him a gel pen. The little boy gave him a handsome smile that seemed to take her breath away.

The little girl answered him with a smile too, but it seemed softer, tamer than his wilder one. It hinted at a maturity beyond her age, a quiet understanding that some things were things she could not change.

And Amy.

Even in her sleep, she was still beautiful. Not the obvious beauty that Rouge positively glowed with, but a more subtle one that drew everyone's eye instead of blinding them. Her face was more angular now, more… grown-up.

And somehow, less happy.

Right now, though, she was smiling in her sleep, though at what, she would never be able to tell.

They were all so _happy._

And their happiness told her something that she had already known all along.

She couldn't do it.

A fang flashed as she bit her lips to keep herself from screaming in frustration. They were right _there, _so tempting, but truth be told, the only thing holding her back was her conscience… and perhaps a touch of pity.

She closed her eyes, and found her mind zooming back to what happened two years ago. How, even though her eyes burned with anger and vengeance, she saw a desperation that rivaled her very own. How her anger had only been dampened when her children were returned to her, just as how her own despair had been washed away when Ruby was brought back to life.

_'Ruby…' _The very name made her heart spasm painfully. _'Ruby… hang on…'_

What would bringing the little boy do for her, really? Tails had not gone into any detail – he had merely gave her a rough location, and told her to bring the boy back in three days, the sooner, the better.

She was down to two days now.

It had been surprisingly easy to track down Amy and the twins. She had to admit that being on the run for three years had done little to improve Amy's stealth skills. Oh, she had _tried, _for sure, but there was no denying that without Sonic there, she could do very little to cover her tracks.

This had brought her to her next big surprise – 'Where is Sonic?_'_

She had thought for _sure _that Sonic would be right _there _with her. She could vaguely recall Knuckles's plan to break them up – to make it seem that Sonic had betray Amy, so that it would be easy to recapture the both of them at a later time. Surely they hadn't fallen for _that _obvious trick, had they?

_'Then again, the two of them can be quite stubborn when they want to be…' _she thought wryly.

Her ears suddenly caught a soft, _'tap-tap,' _and she jerked her head up in surprise.

Her heart almost skipped a beat.

Nathaniel stared back at her, his pupiless eyes wide with something between fascination and fear.

Rouge felt her lips curve up into a smile despite her wildly pounding heart. She winked at him, and she saw him giggle.

It was exactly how Ruby would react.

She glanced around the room. His sister was just a little farther away from the window, holding onto the back of her brother. Her brother glanced swiftly back at Amy, before standing on tip-toe and unlatching the door.

Rouge froze.

Nathaniel poked out as far as he dared, and smiled at her, revealing a missing tooth. "Hi," he chirped, as quietly as possible.

Rouge couldn't breathe, torn between grabbing him, running away, or scolding him for talking to a stranger. "H-Hi…" she managed.

He tilted his head curiously. "How do you do that?" he asked, open like a child should be.

"Umm… do what?" she asked, a little nervously.

"Stay on the wall like that?" he clarified, waving his hand at her. His mouth was agape. "There's no… _strings, _are there?"

"What?" she asked, taken aback. Had Amy not told them not to talk to any strangers? "No, there are no strings. I do this all the time," she couldn't help adding with an absurd feeling of pride.

"Really?" His eyes sparkled with excitement. "Can you show me how?"

"Well, you see-"

"Come up to the roof!" Nathaniel interrupted her, before she could finish.

In a flash, they were both gone, presumably to the roof.

_'… This can't be good…' _Rouge thought to herself.

Full of misgiving, she made her way up.

* * *

Naomi shared the same feelings as Rouge. "Nathan…" She hoped she didn't sound whiny. "This is a bad idea…" 

Nathaniel ignored her, and with a quick look to make sure Amy was asleep, he tugged her outside. "Come on, slowpoke! Don't be a scaredy-cat!"

"But… but Amy said…"

"Mommy's asleep! She'll be fine!"

Naomi stared back at the door as it clicked closed. The keycard was bouncing merrily in her pocket, as if even _it _was glad that it could go outside.

Naomi couldn't deny it. She wasn't _scared, _per-se, but Amy had warned them repeatedly that they shouldn't talk to strangers. That lady wasn't scary, and she didn't _seem _to want to harm them, but still…

"Wow! You're fast!"

Naomi blinked as sunlight streamed into her eyes. They were at the roof already?

The strange lady was there too. She was really pretty; she couldn't help noticing it.

Somehow, she was even more nervous of _them _then they were of _her._

"I'm Nathaniel!" Nathan said happily, pointing a thumb at himself. Naomi blinked in astonishment. Nathan was breaking every single rule that Amy had ever taught them!

"Yes… hi…" The lady nodded politely.

Nathaniel pointed to his green-quilled sister. "This is…"

_"No!" _Naomi managed to hiss, as quietly as she could.

The boy blinked. "Why?" he asked, pouting.

"We're not supposed to give our names out to strangers!" she asserted, trying to sound as authoritative as she could.

Her twin rolled his eyes. "But she's not a stranger!"

It was Naomi's turn to be confused. "Huh?"

"We've met before!" He turned to the bat. "Haven't we?"

The lady looked shocked. "Err… yes…" She looked away. "A long time ago…"

"See?" Nathaniel stuck his tongue out at her. "Told ya!"

"So… so… you're a friend… of Amy's?" she asked, cautiously.

"A… friend…?" The lady smiled at her a little wryly. "I guess you can say that…"

"So… why are you here?" she asked, quickly deciding that a friend of Amy's wouldn't harm them.

"Uh… yes… well…" she stuttered. "I'm… visiting…"

Before Naomi could asked more, Nathaniel laughed. "You're cool!" he said, practically bouncing up and down in excitement. It was a bit infectious – Naomi could feel curiosity pushing cautiousness aside. She _was _kinda cool… and _pretty… _and they'd never met a _friend _of Amy's before.

"Thanks." The bat smiled. "I'm… err…"

"You don't have to give us your name if you don't want to." Naomi said, smiling shyly. When she received another pretty smile in return, she blushed in embarrassment.

"Hmm… don't you think that's a bad idea?" Her eyes softened. "Your mommy will be very worried if you don't go back… and she'd want to know who you've been talking to."

"But she wouldn't mind if it's a friend, would she?" Nathaniel asked.

"I – no, I guess not…"

"Hey, you have _wings!" _Naomi suddenly squealed in excitement. The bat raised an eyebrow at her, and Naomi blushed. "Umm..." she giggled nervously.

Nathaniel rolled his eyes again. "Girls are so weird…" he muttered.

"Umm…" Naomi gathered her courage. "Could you… maybe give me a ride?" she asked, putting in a good pout for extra measure. She noticed that Amy could never resist her when she did that.

The bat's eyes suddenly clouded over. She took a step back, her boots clicking. "Little girl, you know not to accept ride from a stranger, right? Even friends."

"Wait, don't leave!" Nathan shouted. The bat stopped backing away.

"I'm sorry!" Naomi wailed. She had upset Mommy's friend! Oh, she was in so much trouble…

"Oh, honey, hey, it's alright…" Naomi found herself being embraced by the bat. When had she gotten so close? "Hey, it's not big deal… just… be careful, alright?"

Naomi sniffled. Mommy's friend felt… really nice. She sniffled again. She smelled really nice too, not like Mommy, but still, nice.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Rouge! Get _away _from her!"

* * *

She was dreaming _again._

Strange, how everything in the real world seemed fake now. Her dreams seemed much more vivid, much more solid then the hazy universe she'd wake up to every morning. Even she herself seemed to be made of gas when she woke up, the only solid thing holding her down being Nathan and Naomi.

And yet, her dreams were not real.

She had to keep reminding herself that whenever she woke, and whenever she slept.

The only relief she had in her dreams were that they weren't the same anymore.

"Hi, Amy."

Yes, her dreams were different – but not better.

"Sonic." She let the name drop like a dead weight off her lips. She turned; saw him sitting on a bench a few feet away. Where was she? She looked around. Nothing but pearly white fog met her wandering gaze.

She couldn't see Sonic clearly either, only on particular parts of him as she focused her eyes. Right now, she could only see his mouth moving.

"Sit." She shifted her eyes; saw his hand patting the delicately carved metal of the seat beside him.

"Hmph." She turned away from him. What did he take her for? Did he think she would really sit with him?

Though she was a bit tired…

Her ear twitched when she heard him sighing. There were the sounds of footsteps walking away from her, and she turned around. _'Is he actually leaving me alone?'_

"Of course I'm not." Amy flinched; sure that she had said that in her head. She heard Sonic laughing, amused. "Sit," he said again, a hand gesturing towards the now-empty bench.

She growled in annoyance. She really didn't have any excuse to not listen to him now. She walked forward, willing every particle of her body to ignore his presence, sitting down on the cool metal of the bench.

"You need to find me, don't you?" she heard him asking.

She huffed, turning away. "Don't sound so happy. It's not like I want to."

"I know," he replied cheerfully. "You still hate me, right?"

She turned towards him sharply. "And don't forget it."

His smile was gone now, but his eyes were still twinkling merrily. "Oh, I haven't. It's hard to, you know."

She made a contemptuous noise in the back of her throat. _'He is one infuriating hedgehog.'_

"I could say the same thing to you."

"Oh, so you're a mind reader now?" she snapped, disturbed that he had seen through her so easily.

"No, Amy. I wish I was though, sometimes." She caught the sounds of his shoes shifting on the ground. "You're so easy to read," she heard him say teasingly. "But here, it's even easier."

"So, if I'm easier to read here, does that make you even more of a coward here?" she asked, putting as much venom as she could muster into her words.

He shrugged, the twinkle refusing to fade. "This is the one place we don't have to hide from each other."

"'Don't have to?'" she asked. She shook her head. "You mean, 'can't.'"

Sonic's lips curved up into a smirk. "Huh… it's too bad the twins can't come here. It'd be nice to see them, and they'd like it here." He suddenly sounded worried. "You like it here, don't you?"

Amy's eyes narrowed until only a slit of green was showing. "Of course I don't," she shot back, getting more and more annoyed by the second. "How can I like it if you're here?"

"You don't like it…" She saw the incline of his chin as he contemplated that. "But this is happening inside your head, isn't it?"

Amy waved his comments aside with a scoff. "Doesn't matter – this is only a dream, anyway."

"Only a dream, hmm?" She stiffened at his, "I-know-something-you-don't" voice. "But you don't like it here, inside your own head?" he asked, sounding confused.

"I can't even escape from you in it," she heard herself say before she could stop herself. "… and it seems…" She took a breath, steadying herself. "I can't even escape from you in real life, anymore…"

"…" Sonic was silent for a moment, and Amy relished in the silence. "That… really is too bad, isn't it?" he asked her in a muted voice.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"… I think you know…" he replied, his tone light again.

Amy's fingers twitched, as if it was missing it's usual presence of a weapon. "Is this some sort of stupid, noble, heroic reason again?"

Sonic's lips pressed together into a straight line. "… Maybe," he relented.

Amy's shoulders sagged. "… Yeah, well…" She forced herself to meet his eyes. The twinkle had been snuffed out now, and it gave her great pleasure to know that she could distinguish it as she pleased. "I'm only looking for you for the twins."

"I know that already," he told her.

"... So can't you make it easier and less painful for all of us, and just tell me where you are?" she half asked, half demanded.

Strangely, that brought a smile back to Sonic's face. "Sorry, but I can't," he chirped pleasantly. "This is only a dream, remember?"

"What?" Amy burst. "So this… this is all _fake_?" she asked, gesturing towards the metal bench. It couldn't be, could it? You couldn't feel cold metal in your dreams. _'But my dreams aren't real…' _she reminded herself again. But her inner voice didn't sound so sure.

Sonic's smile was still there. "I said it was a dream, not that it was fake."

"… I don't get it," she admitted unwillingly.

"I don't really either," Sonic answered thoughtfully. "But that doesn't matter," he interrupted her, before she could ask another question. "I've got to go now… try hard to look for me, alright?"

"What? Hey, wait!" she cried out in desperation at his already retreating back.

He stopped, but didn't turn around. "Yes?"

"… I thought you were here because you wanted to see me." She couldn't mask the hint of disappointment in her voice. "Don't you want to see the twins?" she asked, as if it would make up for her tiny moment of weakness. "… Don't you want to see me?" she added again, reluctantly.

Sonic half-turned his head, his eyes meeting hers. "… Sorry, Amy. I can't answer you that right now. This is only a dream, remember?"

Then Sonic was gone.

And she woke up.

* * *

**_A/N: _**And that's the chapter XD Everything is slowly coming together, and we're really glad for the people who've stuck with us the whole entire time :D The reviews, alerts, and favs have really encouraged us to keep going, and some of you guys have really good ideas, and interesting insights - it's fun reading them! So thanks again! 

Oh, and a question that a couple of people have asked us about the last chapter, "Was Amy dreaming?"

The answer is, yes, she was dreaming. However, just to confuse you all, that doesn't mean the events didn't really happen.

Anyway, there's a few question you guys could answer for us though, just out of curiosity:

1) As most of you are aware (hopefully), this story is being written by two authors - The Queen of Aces and I. Since our writing styles are different (slightly, at the very least), does that bug you or disrupt the flow of the story in any way?

2) Are either Nathaniel or Naomi starting to feel Mary-Sue? Keep in mind that they're still OC's that we've made up, so it'd be nice to get some feedback.

3) Is the story itself hard to understand? We do have a few parts that we are intentionally being left a mystery (at least for a while), but since it's written by two different people, someone might forget that one of us added something to the story (that someone being me) and accidently contradict ourselves.

4) Is it getting boring, and what can we improve on?

And that's all. More questions might be asked in the future.

S'all for now! HAPPY NEW YEARS AGAIN!

**Anonymous Reviews:**

**Nothing... again...**

The Queen of Aces

azngirlchibi


	23. Chapter 23

**_A/N:_** Yes, yes, yes. It is I, the great Queen of Aces.

….nothing else to say….

Enjoy!

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

"I brushed against the freckles that I hated so…  
But life goes on  
And I heave a little sigh for you.  
It's heavy,  
The love that I once shared with you,  
Then it dissolves like it was just a sugar cube!Now the little pain sittin' in my heart  
Has shrunk in a bit,  
But it really doesn't hurt me now.  
Those silly horoscope signs,  
Guess I can't trust them after all!"

**-Ruroni Kenshin  
Freckles (English version of Sobakasu)**

**

* * *

**

_The Queen of Aces_

**

* * *

**  
Never would Rouge have ever guessed that she could be frozen to the spot with a pair of eyes.

But then again, she had never seen the eyes of the pink criminal so closely before, or maybe she had just never really noticed until now. Looking into her eyes, Rouge felt herself die away, her limbs becoming granite as they formed fully while still holding onto the squirming girl. They were absolutely green, framed under her dark thick eyelashes, complimenting her tanned skin and the natural blush of her cheeks. Her body, finally done forming, was incredibly enviable. While she was not as curvy as Rouge had been, she was thin and perfect with shape. Her thighs were rounded, her stomach as flat as an ironing board, in a way hers had never really been. While Rouge had been a beauty that  
attracted attention, Amy was a beauty that inspired.

She had a dancer's form, which could be seen through her sleeping shorts and tank top that revealed the small but desirable hills of her chest. She didn't seem to mind the freezing weather, or if she did, she didn't show it. Her hair was a rivulet of sunset pink that Rouge had never imagined for herself. Her hair had always looked better short, and once, Amy had agreed and told the bat that her hair just wasn't the type to look good grown out. But it seemed flawless, her small morning frizz making it look intentional, and made her look cute. She was stunning, to say the least.

Naomi slipped out from under her grasp while Rouge still stared. The little girl was embraced by her brother, who seemed to have taken onto the mood of his supposed mother. Amy gave her a look that told her there would be no mercy, even her eyes changed drastically. Her jade eyes turned into more of a callow green, as she clenched her fist. The bat managed to sit up, not breaking her gaze with the teen mother the entire time. They seemed total opposites, just based on their looks. Rouge had always more cultivated, a little more developed and mature. While Amy was a master at appearing jejune and childish.

This alone made the air around them tense, the probability of a fight increasing with every passing minute.

But when Rouge looked at the cowering Naomi hiding behind her brother, she thought only of her little girl. Ruby, who loved to wear her mother's jewelry and prance around in her Wiggles party shirt that she would wear every day if she could. She saw a child who could not peel an orange without puncturing all the juice out of it, who loved to play karaoke and play hopscotch and read her iSpy books. A little girl who depended on her to live, in more ways than one.

Rouge imagined her sunny face, her beautiful smile. 'I'm glad I came out of your tummy Mudder. Cause now I patect you.'

Tenderly, she put a hand out to signal her defeat. "I don't want to fight you." She told her arch rival with a voice that was raw from under-use. "I came here because I need your help."

As cold as Amy was, she seemed to grow even colder. She seemed to be so different from the clingy yet kind fan girl she had known all those years ago, as if a complete metamorphosis had occurred. With a sneer, she snottily replied. "Help you? I'll help you right into hell, where you belong."

Nathaniel smirked, excited and thrilled. Though he had approved of the bat just moments before. Even Naomi seemed smug about the strange woman being brought down. For children trust is often fleeting, and cruelty can come just as fast and as unprovoked as friendliness.

Rouge tried to imagine teaching her child the difference, and felt all of the color drain from her face. "You don't understand." She began whispering, watching the pink hedgehog with eyes that were filling with tears. The desperation in them was enough to make Amy soften around the edges. "My daughter is dying." She choked the words  
out, before she began to sob and could not stop. Those words weighed heavier  
than rocks, and hurt just as much. "You have to help me. She's going to die."

Amy raised an eyebrow. It was obvious by the look in her face that she did not honestly care. As she relaxed, her bored gaze focused on Rouge as she shrugged. "Not my problem." With finality, she grabbed the hands of the twins, she turned away from the jewel thief, disgusted. Rouge scrambled to catch up to them, but it seemed as though her muscles were shutting down, her mind dying off.

"Amy!" she called after her, her eyes narrowing. "Please, just hear me out!" when she kept walking, the bat lost control. "How can you let my daughter die!?" the words seemed to echo around them, until it surrounded the four animals and repeated itself constantly. There was a flicker of silence, where Rouge feared she was going to keep walking and leave her. She watched them, pleading on every God and angel she knew.

The flicker of doubt passed. The pink beauty coasted to a stop, before her eyes were the jewel-lover once again. Under those magnificent eyes, Rouge felt a little uneasy, even as Amy turned fully to face her. Her voice passed over her almost as easily as if it was just water in her hands. "To keep mine alive." Was her only reply. Amy squeezed the hands of her children hard, and Rouge looked up, seeing a flash of Knuckles at the way she was frowning, the way her breathing was slow and controlling.

Rouge could not help but spill out the truth, letting it all come, the first time she had spoken of it out loud. "Ruby's going to die unless your son saves her." Her eyes brightened, trying to get her to understand. "I need to give your son to Tails, so he can save my daughter." Her breathing went ragged with grief. "He needs to revive her again, like he did all those years ago! Like he did…" her voice trailed off as the two female fighters were left to wallow in the memory of their last encounter. After awhile, Rouge whispered. "I need your son to save her."

Nathaniel seemed bewildered, listening in carefully. His colored irises growing smaller as his eyes dilated, as he curiously pointed to himself. "Me? Save who?" he shared a glance with his sister, who replied with a pitched voice. "Like a superhero?"

Both twins were both equally lost, as they turned their gaze back to the adults, hoping more would be said. But it was almost like they had never spoken, from the way they were ignored.

Rouge clenched her hands into tight fists, before she fell to her knees, like she was praying once more. She seemed to have lost all dignity, begging pathetically, so that Amy could only feel pity for the poor creature. Rouge opened her eyes, her blue eyeshadow flashing as she explained again. "Tails just needs Nathaniel to help Ruby live."

Amy gave a disbelieving huff, her arms crossing as she gave a glare so hateful Rouge nearly jumped out of her skin. "I'm not stupid." She replied, her glare heating. "And assuming that, will get you killed. You don't think I know what you guys are up to?" she took a step towards the bat. Her jade eyes glistened in the angle the light hit them. "There are more things to be brought back to life, aren't there?" and in that instant her frown tipped into a sly grin, as she let her arms drop to her sides.

"Like…the dead, perhaps?" Rouge's reaction was everything she had hoped for, her breath lost in a shocked gasp while her face lost all of its color once again.

Nathaniel grinned wickedly, stomping his feat in excitement, interrupting their esoteric conversation. "The dead! Like zombies!" he stuck out his hands in an excellent rendition of every old monster movie known, chuckling as a ragged moan escaped his throat. "I eat your brains!" he made a slurping sound, still laughing. "Like spaghetti! Zombies like brain spaghetti!"

While Nathaniel continued to slurp, Naomi smiled and played along, but with a slightly different view on the conversation. "Like zombie tea party?" She twirled around, giggling as she managed to cry out. "Zombie zombie disco party! Yay!" The little toddler twirled around, her lips puckered as she let out a high note in song. "We have tea and cupcakes and-"

Nathaniel reached behind her and pretended to bite her hair. "And brain spaghetti!" he sang out, in a much more controlled and pleasurable voice. As he clapped his hands, he danced around to out-do his sister's steps. "Twirl it all up and munch munch munch!" he chewed at the air, before holding his belly and giving it a satisfactory rub. "Yum yum yum!"

Amy could not help but blush. Though she still held all the cards, it was hard to gloat when her children were singing loud enough to distract them. Not allowing her gaze with Rouge to break, she yelled out in a fit of frustration. "Guys! Knock it off! I'm dealing with something here!"

Nathaniel stilled, but his grin never faded. "Are ya' gonna sock 'er?" he began to uppercut the open air. "Go Amy! Teach that old hag a lesson. Be like, bop, bop, bop!" he started to kick, before giving an imaginary person the headlock of their life. "Like on Mobius World Wrestling!" he stopped, his body stopping as he gazed at his mother. "Are ya? Are ya?"

Naomi giggled, her arms rising in the air as her little hands formed around an invisible belt buckle. "And the crowd goes crazy!" she managed with a low voice like she had seen on television. But when Amy turned her head to glare at them, both twins immediately shut their mouths, until it was so silent that it seemed almost scary. Amy turned back to Rouge, who was still in absolute shock, as she was slowly recovering, blinking like she was trying to get rid of an image.

Breathlessly, she looked at her pink rival. "How did you know?" she asked, unable to say anything else. For someone who had not been a part of their lives for three years, she seemed to know an awful lot about their motives. Rouge's mind reeled at the possibilities. Had someone ratted out on them? Was Amy really so cunning as to guess their plan so elaborately?

To answer her question, Amy tilted her head to the sky, her bangs and hair moving with the chilly air around them, a smile that confirmed her last question.

Rouge sighed, her eyes downcast, filling with tears. The chilly breeze blew harder, making her skin grow cold, as she frowned. She had almost forgotten how cold it was, or that she was crouched down in snow. Nathaniel watched his breath turn into a cloud, while Naomi watched the scene before her with a very sympathetic expression. Absent mindedly, Amy set her hands on their shoulders, before pulling them closer. She looked back down at Rouge, looking like a goddess that was gracing the earth. Her children leaned into her, as if she carried a warmth that kept them bonded forever.

Rouge looked at Naomi, who then looked like a mirror image of her daughter, though the difference would normally repel any such thought. Her lip quivered as she lay in the snow, before she gave the smallest laugh. "I understand why you ran away." Rouge spoke finally, breaking the air of silence. She thought of the first time she had seen Amy with the twins. Looking tired but incredibly and unbelievably happy as she cradled the two bundles lovingly.

What she had mistaken for a burden was actually a great blessing in disguise. A blessing she did not realize until she held her own daughter in her arms and subconsciously thinking that there was no way she could ever let go.

Rouge watched Amy now, apologizing for what she did not know until it was too late for them both. "I could never let anyone take Ruby away. I understand now," she smiled weakly. "You did the right thing." Then her eyes shifted. "And I'm begging you to do it again. For my own daughter, for my little girl."

Amy flinched openly. How many times had she prayed for Naomi's safety using those same words? She ran a hand through the evergreen of Naomi's curls, as she hugged her tight, which Naomi returned by wrapping her arms around Amy's leg as if they were in danger of being parted.

Amy thought about the way Naomi loved the water, splashing wildly in the bathtub as Amy weaved her soapy fingers through her hair to apply the shampoo, the two giggling all the while. She thought about Sunday mornings, straightening Naomi's curls to look nice for church, or the way she prayed before every meal and before bedtime, because they needed all the help they could get. Amy remembered her birthday, letting confetti fall down upon them like all of their worries, or the way she blew too soft and could not  
extinguish the flame on her candle. She could remember dancing to music on the radio, holding hands as they crossed the street, the heat of her skin as they sat together and watched Nathaniel play.

What if the positions were switched? What if Naomi was the one dying? Amy blinked away the image in her mind. But that was not the principal here, Amy knew. She knew that Rouge was really just planning a trade, Nathaniel for Ruby. And damn it all if Amy would let that happen. Her son meant more to her than anything, and there was no room for mistakes when it came to Nathaniel.

Amy turned away, as her children followed. Before she could stop herself, Amy whispered gently. "It's cold out here." Her words were smooth with confidence and reason. "I wouldn't want you to freeze."

And she left the bat to scramble onto her feet and follow the trio inside. They seemed like a single soul then, matching each other's steps perfectly. Naomi's little curls bouncing while Nathaniel's sneakers thudded in the same rhytm, matching Amy's breathing. While they came from the stairs, Rouge watched the children yawn, tired from so much excitement.

Amy smiled, turning to them. "Ready to take your nap guys?" she asked sweetly, while Naomi murmured. "Yes please." While Nathaniel shook his head weakly. "Nuh-uh, I'm not sleepy."

And as if Rouge was not there, Amy turned down the hall and led the twins to their room, tucking them both in her bed with the same amount of care. She kissed their foreheads, before she noticed Nathaniel looked troubled.

When he caught her gaze, he blinked. "Sing?" he asked, always comforted by the sound of music. Amy smiled, while Rouge could not help but wish that she could find it in her to be half as good of a mother as Amy was to children she did not give birth to.

Amy seemed so serene, as she nodded, reaching out to brush the bangs from his eyes. "Baby mine, don't you cry." She started, and Rouge shivered at the low pitched beauty of her voice. "Baby mine, dry your eyes." She sang so softly, that Rouge had to stand in the doorway to hear. Nathaniel was sighing, his eyes fluttering, while Naomi began to yawn once more. Amy smiled, as she kept singing. "Rest your head, close to my heart, never to part. Baby of mine."

Amy continued to sing until the little ones were snoozing. "Little one, when you play. Don't you mind, what they say. Let those eyes sparkle and shine, never a tear, baby of mine." Amy trembled. "If they knew, sweet little you. They'd end up loving you, too." As Amy looked down, her eyes shook slightly. "All those people who scold you, oh what they'd give, just for the right to hold you." Amy watched the faces of her saviors, her only true heroes, while Rouge tried to fight the tears gathering. "From your head down to your toes. You're not much, goodness knows." She smiled wider, laughing a little as she stroked Nathaniel's hair. "But you're so precious to me, sweet as can be," she paused to bow her head. "Baby of mine."

There was a moment of silence before she stood up. With a grace, she turned around to face her, both of them carrying unshed tears. The song hung in the air, all of its words and her melancholy melodic voice ringing in their ears. Both of them looking so incredibly forlorn and jaded. They cried silently for what seemed like forever, eyes glistening.

What was left of Amy Rose staring at what was left of Rouge the bat.

* * *

Once, when Amy had been a little girl, she created a monster that swallowed her whole.

Every night she would practically leap over her discarded toys and hop onto her bed, lining stuffed animals all around both sides, before she would tremble in fear and bury herself in her safe coven of fairy princess covers.

She never admitted to being afraid, for even when she was that young she was too stubborn to reveal this small little secret. And while Rose would slip into the bedroom to read her the rest of her story, Amy would put on a face that she imagined soldiers to conceive before they went to fight off in a war.

Being weak with grief, her grandmother would not notice the quick change of her aura as soon as she told her goodnight.

She imagined it with beady red eyes, and with a cold metal grip that was so cold it stung against her naturally warm skin. She would dream of it sneaking in between shadows, before finding a way past her fuzzy animal fortress and opening its jaws wide to eat her up. She imagined it could live in water, so that she even hated bath time, shivering when she had to close her eyes to wash out the shampoo in her hair. And when her grandmother would slip on her nightgown, before letting Amy grab her magic brush to comb her damp quills, she worried the monster could take forms and look just like all the people she trusted.

She lived in absolute fear for months, shivering at the smallest contact from anyone, coiling like a snake in defense.

One night, when Rose had been brushing her hair, she noticed the way Amy squeaked when she gave it a tug to put it in a pretty braid. "Did I hurt you?" She has asked, startled. Amy had shaken her head, her lower lip producing a pout. "Are you afraid of something?" she had tried gently, even more shocked when her little granddaughter had given a reluctant nod, her eyes reflecting the mirror image of the only adult who loved her.

Rose had blinked, recovering from this bit of news. "My, what ever are you afraid of?" she pried, watching the pink hedgebabe sink into her arms as she held her tight.

"The monsters." Amy had whispered, her face forlorn. Rose had merely smiled sweetly. "Monsters, you say?" she faked a surprised gasp. "Well, where are these monsters? I'll just tell them to leave you alone!" and she had played along, grabbing the baseball bat that was scattered among her pink legos fashioned into a castle that was magnificent enough to hold royalty.

As she swung the bat confidently over her shoulder, Amy had grabbed her favorite stuffed dinosaur in fascination. Rose gave a few taunting swings, laughing. "No monsters are gonna eat my granddaughter on my watch!" and while Amy had frowned, Rose waved her over. "Come on Amy! We'll find those monsters and beat them all the way to Little Planet!"

But when Amy did not reply with her usual gusto, Rose frowned to match the facial expression of the little toddler. Amy had tilted her head, not swayed. "But you can't beat these monsters!" she exclaimed wildly. "Cause they live in my mind!" and while Rose stared, Amy ran her finger along the plastic teeth of the baby dinosaur, which she knew was called a Tyrannosaurs Rex, the biggest and baddest of them all.

Rose was left to hold her until she slept, watching the little girl fight her own demons.

* * *

Years later, while Rose touched the baseball bat gingerly, she looked around the abandoned room, at the smell the renewed visit had left behind. She wished her granddaughter was here, with her. Was she still running away from Sonic? Would that explain why the blue hedgehog clung to her so? A subconscious replacement for the person he had lost? He seemed to be getting better, as if waking up from whatever disaster had left him so weak in the first place.

Such a kind gentlemen, helping her with the firewood, helping to round all of the horses and helping her son bring in all the crops that had survived the sudden blizzard. He seemed unable to make the connection, even looking straight into the faces of her closest relatives.

"Rose?" she heard a voice call. With the creak of a door opening, she turned to see him in the doorway, looking around the room in interest. "Whose room is this?" he asked curiously, looking then like a little boy who craved the secrets of the world. His side was still battered with bruises, and he was still short of breath all the time, but the cuts and bruises would eventually fade. And it was times like this that he seemed free of the burden of finding her dear Amy; a burden that they both shared, though he didn't  
know it yet.

Rose turned around, facing him fully. "It used to belong to my granddaughter." Sonic's face grew blank. "I didn't know you had a granddaughter." He motioned away from him with a jerk of his thumb. "Leighton never mentioned-"

"My son never recovered at the loss of his wife." Rose stuttered, trying to cover up for this with the only way she could explain it. "She reminded him too much of her…he was never able to face his own daughter. He did everything he could for her, sent her money, left her in my care…but he could not bear to see her. She's an exact replica of her poor mother."

Rose figured that was enough, as she set the bat where she had found it, wondering if Amy had left it that way on purpose. If she had known that she would be gone again, so kept her preserved scene of childhood for Rose to remember.

Sonic looked around some more, perplexed by this simple fact that she had told him. He had been in this woman's care for nearly a month now, and considered her and her son good friends for saving his life, more or less. But this at least he understood perfectly, finding someone dear to you in the face of someone else, but he had to wonder if the granddaughter ever knew this. If she ever knew it wasn't her fault.

"What happened to her?" Sonic asked, as Rose blinked. Once again, she found herself caught between giving him a clue, or to save Amy's identity. Finally, she told him. "She ran away." This, she said with a broken voice. "She's off fighting her own demons."

Sonic paused as they made their way to the living room. With a last question, he watched her face to make sure he did not cross any lines. "Did she ever beat them?" he waited. "Her demons, I mean."

Rose sighed, before her dark eyes watched his face like he was doing to hers, surveying intently. "From the looks of it," she spoke softly. "She's still got a long way to go."

* * *

"You've done well for yourself," Rouge broke the silence, running a finger along a painted vase filled with tulips in the middle of the kitchen table.

Amy nodded, still not dropping her guard for a second. "I guess so." She managed, before taking a sip of the tea she had made. While Rouge winced, Amy sighed and decided that she could talk a little more. "It's been very hard. We've been moving a lot, I think this is the only home the twins have actually stayed in for more than three months."

Watching her image in her drink shake, she tried to imagine it was that easy to lock her weak side away. Where she could just drink it and digest it and never have its inconvienence again. "What about you?"

Rouge absent-mindedly grabbed her wrist, the whole raw region still exposed and stinging harshly. "Let's just say," she tried. "That I haven't been doing so well for myself."

She did not mention the crazed fox, or his alliance with the doctor, or even the incident in the kitchen and the dungeon they had trapped her in. Amy gave a sympathetic smile, before she sighed and felt the rim of her cup. Rouge watched in a sort of haze. "So…" she raised an eyebrow questionably. "Can I confide in you, hon?"

Amy blinked. "I wouldn't." she answered truthfully, only to hear the smallest pause before Rouge began to talk. It was as if she could not help herself, like there was something she desperately needed to say. She had missed the company of the caring criminal too much to remember she would kill her in an instant like she did with her own husband and best friend, and her own best friend. Rouge stared harshly into space, her voice drifted off. "I've been a mother for nearly as long as you have. The first time the  
boy…"

Suddenly Amy's wondering gaze had turned into a defensive glare. "Nathaniel." She corrected.

Rouge nodded. "The first time Nathaniel restored Ruby, I knew that I was truly lucky."

Amy could not help but comment. "Considering that you killed her in the first place." Immediately after it registered, the house was dead silent. Even the ghosts of the past were absent and it was so quite that the lack of sound actually rang in their ears. Rouge was left to try and pick up the pieces of her heart that Amy had managed to shred into pieces with that one comment.

All those years ago, when she had been too pressured and had snapped. Rouge remembered just the moments after that terrible incident, looking down and seeing her daughter stiff and not breathing. Her aqua eyes dilated in horror as she managed to stutter out the first thing on her mind. "You don't understand…" she tried, but it was as weak and as unbelievable as she had become.

Amy huffed defiantly, knowing just as well she would not fight back. Years ago, their positions had been switched. But now she was the one with the power, and blessings. Now, she was the strong one, and Rouge was just the pathetic creature who was completely at the end of the line.

Amy shook her head, her lips forming a disapproving frown. "Your right, I don't think I'll ever understand. Personally, you don't deserve your daughter. You killed her and had my son fix your mistake, and now you've come back because you need his help again."

Her eyes were so icy, her words like ice shards slicing through Rouge's skin. Amy looked away, at something beyond the walls of her safe haven. "You were going to ask me how I can honestly let your child die, being a mother myself."

Rouge blinked. "You're the only one that can save her." She begged again, watching Amy as she frowned and looked down at her shoes. Inside, the pink hedgehog was thinking, her mind stretching past all of the opportunities.

She seemed outside of herself, as if she were merely watching this situation from a bystander's eyes. She closed her eyes and remembered the dream that had been taking over all of her thoughts lately. She thought of what Knuckles had told her, his eyes desperate. 'Something's coming. It's coming for Nathaniel. If you don't join forces with Sonic and protect the little boy…'

Suddenly she smiled.

"Rouge," she turned, her eyes snapping open in triumph. "I think we might be able to help each other out."

The bat blinked. "What did you have in mind, hon?" she asked, hoping.

Amy grinned. "How about, I agree to let Nathaniel see Ruby…" while Rouge gasped, she held out her hand, signaling her to be silent. "And in exchange, you tell me what that psycho fox is up to, and I mean all of the details. All of the plans he has, I want to know, down to every single step and every single stinking breath he considers taking." Her eyes flickered. "And you help me find a certain blue-haired bum."

Rouge smiled, standing up quickly. "Of course!" she exclaimed wildly. "You've got it!" and as Amy tried to exchange her hand to secure the deal, the bat wrapped the petite pink beauty in a hug. She wrapped her arms around her tight, nearly crying. "Oh thank you," she sobbed. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

Rouge began to invision her girl, as she invisioned the last time they had spoken, where she had whispered to her: Au revoir, ma fille, je t'aime. I love you my daughter. She imagined Ruby, looking up from her Muzzy Language videos and giggling back: Je t'aime aussi et bon voyage. I love you too, and have a great trip.

While Rouge held her, Amy wrapped her arms around her in return, but a sinister smile kept her expression far from friendly. Amy watched the fingers of her left hand, as her childish gesture came into light.

Throughout the whole bargain, her fingers had been crossed.

* * *

**_A/N: _**GACK! This is azngirlchibi, and I'm so-o-o sorry for not posting this in so long. The Queen of Aces got the chapter in on time as usual, but I've been so busy with school and life in general that I never got the time to post this up. You might find a few spelling or formatting mistakes in here, so I'm really, really, really sorry. And plus, a virus went into my computer and blew up all my files, so I lost this chapter when I finally found the time to post it up... I'M SO SORRY!

Oh, and I know that I never answered any of the reviews. I really don't have time right now, but we have read through every single review, and I must say that you guys have some really good advice! Not that it's surprising - you guys are great :D But we'll take it all to heart, and try to improve the future chapters as much as we can for you, m'kay?

Sorry again for not replying to the reviews, and the lateness of this chapter. And I really wanted to reply to these ones too...

And for people who don't know which chapters are written by who... The odd chapters are written by The Queen of Aces, and the even chapters are written by me. Plus, if I'm writing it, I write both author's notes, and if it's The Queen of Aces, the author's note on top is hers, while the bottom one right here is mine.

... Or, we could just add something on the top telling which is which...

Sorry again! And I kind of have a funeral to go to soon... Just a side note :)

**The Queen of Aces**

**azngirlchibi**


	24. Chapter 24

**_A/N: _**YAY! New chapter! I got tired of studying for my exams (we had two Snow Days in a row... so all exams were pushed to next week DX) and putting this up was my idea of a break... XD.

OH! And I found a new anime/manga to obsess over - "Full Moon wo Sagashite!" Hee hee, I must spread my happiness to the whole world XD And just to clarify for the upcoming quote, "Shinigami" are basically "Death Gods" that come to guide/collect your soul when you die in Japanese culture. I hope I got that right...

Still, hope you guys will enjoy this chapter, wherever you are! Hope you're not experiencing crazy weather like I am...

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

**

* * *

**

_"The reason why I decided to live even if I lose my voice was because of Takuto and everyone. I thought that by living, I could create the chance that they could be angels instead of shinigami. Because I want to believe that pure and kind people are especially the ones that deserve happiness. I will live."_

_**-Mitsuki from "Full Moon wo Sagashite." **__

* * *

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_azngirlchibi_

_

* * *

_

_'The colour of your eyes… what were they again?'_

He traced the glass softly with one finger, a daily ritual of his now. A torturing ritual that felt like he was ripping out his heart over and over again – but it was the only thing connecting it to her now.

And if the only thing connecting them was pain… he would do it.

He would rip out his heart over and over again, just so that he knew he was still connected to her.

He sat down in front of her, watched as her long rabbit ears floated around her like a halo. She was smiling like she was happy, and it bothered him deeply. What was so happy about death? What was so happy about never seeing the people you love ever again?

_'Answer me, will you, Cream? Why are you happy?'_

He half-expected for her eyes to fly open, for her to giggle at him for his foolishness.

_'Are you happy… being away from me?'_

He tried to imagine it – how it would be like when she woke up. How her eyes would light up, how she would rush into his arms, how he would hear her laugh again and make his heart beat so quickly that he would have no doubt that he was alive for that very moment.

"Tails, it's ready."

Tails barely gave the portly old doctor any sign of recognition. "Give me a few more moments," he whispered.

He heard Eggman's heavy footsteps stomp away as he stood up. He traced the glass again – ripped his heart open again, before giving her one final, long glance.

_'I'm going to win,' _thought Tails, his namesakes twitching at the promise. _'I'm going to win.'_

_'But… if you win, I still lose.'_

Tails shook his head furiously. "You're wrong Cream…" He clenched his fist against the glass. "I'll win for the both of us… Cream…"

He turned away. It was finally time for him to win this war.

_'And then… I'll finally see you open your eyes again.'

* * *

_

"_Hey Amy. It's me, Tails. I hope you can hear this television broadcast, wherever you guys are."_

"… Rouge? What are you watching? Did I just hear my name?"

"… _The government was kind enough to intercept all television signals so I can get this message out to you…'_

"Rouge?!" Amy ran in from the twin's room, only to find the bat staring at the screen in shock. "R-Rouge? What's happening?" She ran up to the bat, shaking her shoulder roughly. "Snap out of it!" she commanded.

Rouge blinked out of her daze. "A-Amy? I…"

"… _so I really hope you get this message. First off, I hope you're doing fine, and the kids too. It must be hard being a runaway, especially with all the nations in the world after you. You know that in one country, you have a one million dollar price on your head?"_

"… Tails…?" Amy blinked at the screen, dumbfounded for a few moments, her mind reeling. _'Tails… what… he… can't… be…' _

But it _was _him. Bedraggled looking, fur unkempt, and tired-looking, but still the same Tails she had known from three years ago. The one who had stared up at her with his big, blue eyes and had innocently said that his dream was to build an airplane that could catch up to Sonic, so that he could stay with his best friend forever.

'… _Same? This… this can't be the same one…'_

What had she thought he'd look like? More… menacing, perhaps? More psychotic? Unable to form whole sentences?

"Amy!" She felt a shake to her shoulder wake her up. "Amy, I swear I knew _nothing _about this! He… didn't say anything… about this! I swear!"

"Calm down!" Amy snapped, her control returning. She clutched the edge of the television screen, willing herself to breathe normally as the bat stared at her in fear, as if she would explode and kill Rouge merely for not knowing anything. "I believe you… just… calm down…"

"_But before we talk about you, Amy, I want to talk to Rouge."_

Amy felt the bat stiffen beside her.

"_Rouge, I know you betrayed me."_

Dead silence. Amy noted that the fox was smiling, as if he knew the bat was cowering in his power at the moment. "How… did he know?" Rouge whispered, her voice shaking.

"_I had you bugged, of course. I knew that for your daughter, you would betray me in a heartbeat." _The camera had a close up of his face as the little fox calmly addressed the lenses. _"Just so you know, Amy, the bug had already deactivated itself automatically ten minutes ago, but I've heard enough to know that Rouge clearly isn't on my side at the moment. But since the bug is gone, there's no need to cut Rouge into little pieces to look for it."_

"C-Cut… into… little pieces?" Amy shook. He thought he knew her well, did he?

"_Don't worry, Rouge. Your daughter's still safe… and still calling me 'Uncle' too, I may add." _The fox smirked widely.

Amy was surprised out of her anger when Rouge suddenly jumped up. "B-Bastard!" she yelled at the screen, fire coating her every word. "I betrayed you? You betrayed _us! _You… You…"

"Rouge, I said to stay calm!" The pink hedgehog grabbed Rouge's arm, restraining her as she continued screaming incoherent words.

"_That's enough for Rouge. Now you, Amy."_

Amy didn't even notice that Rouge had suddenly stopped moving. She felt herself being unwilling drawn to what Tails had to say, and didn't even realize that her arms had dropped to her sides.

"_Amy, you know everything now – or at least, you think you do." _He looked down as he said his next words, _"I'm not a fool. I know not to underestimate you, and I know that right now, you have everything you need to get rid of me." _He looked at the screen now, and it felt as if he really _was _staring at her this time. _"… Almost."_

"Almost…?" Amy repeated, blinking.

"_I still hold one card, and it's still important, even if you may think otherwise." _The fox tapped his head with another cheeky smile. _"… I have Sonic."_

_"Amy!"_

Amy gasped, willing herself to keep collected, to reign in her emotions. Rouge was holding her shoulders tightly and trying to help her off the floor. When had she fallen?

_"I have Sonic, Amy. I'm winning."_

_'No… way!' _Her body screamed for her to sit down, but she forced herself up, using Rouge as a support. She took another wheeze of oxygen. _'I'm not going to let him win so easily!'_

_"If you think this is a bluff, you are free to do so. But… you can't take the chance Amy. In this game, taking chances means risking your life."_

"You… don't think I know that, you bastard of a fox?" She managed to get out, shrugging herself out of Rouge's grip. She narrowed her eyes at the screen. "So you have Sonic, so what?" she asked, forgetting that he couldn't hear her. "What do you think I'm going to do?"

_"From what I heard, you no longer love Sonic, do you?" _The fox frowned. _"I honestly didn't believe you at first. I still don't, but you sound so sure of yourself. That doesn't matter – it seems like you're still searching for him nonetheless. I don't understand why. Lucky for you."_

"M-Mommy?" Nathaniel appeared, seemingly out of nowhere, staring wide-eyed at the pair of women who looked like they had been slapped across the face.

"G-Go to sleep, Nathan," Amy ordered, trying to sound firm.

_"Oh, I know where you are right now too, I should add."_

Amy's eyes widened. "No…"

"M-Mommy?" stuttered Nathan, completely bewildered. "What's happening?" he demanded, running up to her and tugging at her shirt.

_"The bug was also a tracker, Amy. I _could _be coming for you any second now." _Tails spread out his arms, and shrugged. _"But I rather wait here comfortably, so we can fight at my own terrain."_

"Nathaniel, go bring your sister."

"B-"

"Now, Nathan!" Amy commanded, frustration making her voice harsh. Nathaniel ran from her with a frightened look over his shoulder.

_"I'd rather not have any paparazzi interference, so I won't give you a specific address to go to. But… you'll know where this place is. You're a smart girl, aren't you Amy?"_

_'He's talking down to me!' _Amy thought with a rush of outrage. "Who does he think he's dealing with?!" she growled. "Does he still think I'm a little girl?"

_"Come to the place where we fell apart." _Tails's voice was cool, but his eyes seemed to be trying to burn themselves into her memory. _"Where we finally stopped looking for you to save you… and where you made the biggest mistake of your life."_

Amy threw the television a glare of utter loathing. "What the hell is he talking about?"

Rouge remained silent, her forehead creasing.

_"When you get there… I'll be waiting. And we can finally settle things – no more cat and mouse, hmm?" _Tails smirked at the camera in triumph. _"I have no doubt that you will come… whether it's out of love or need."_

"Umm… Umm…"

Amy whirled around, and the twins flinched in unison.

_"… I have one more thing to say, before you go."_

Amy halted in her steps.

_"… We're the same, you and I."_

The pink maiden could not explain why a chill of foreboding tingled up her spine.

_"We both know that this is no longer about the world, is it?" _She heard him sigh. _"This is about love… and greed. We've both turned into the most disgusting creatures in living memory, haven't we?"_

Amy's head slowly turned around to meet the fox's eyes as everything melted away, leaving only the two of them.

_"We're both willing to throw it all away – our own lives, other's lives… we've even trampled on the hearts of people who wanted to do nothing but help us." _He laughed openly, freely, as if what he said really _was _that funny. _"I wish I could say sorry to Rouge… but I wouldn't mean it. No matter how hard I try, I have no regrets. You don't either, do you, Amy Rose?"_

Sonic's image flashed through her head, even as she tried to wipe it away. _'No…'_

_"We both just want to protect the ones we love. It's disgusting what we're willing to do… but I don't hate it. Even when I love someone so much, it hurts."_

Naomi was bleeding everywhere… all over the place… and as she struggled to help, a pair of hands pried her away and healed the little girl. _'It's not your fault, Amy,' _Sonic said, smiling despite of it all – despite _everything. _

_"I love Cream, and you love the twins. How different are we, really? You think I'm insane… so what does that make you, Amy Rose? The saner of the two?"_

Her own hand was bleeding now, but even though her hand should've been throbbing, it was her lips that were on fire. Sonic slowly wrapped her hand in bandages, so softly she could almost feel no pain. _"I'm sorry, Amy," _his eyes said. _"I'm sorry for not being good enough for you…"_

_"You have no right to tell me that, Amy, you little hypocrite. You're willing to kill me, Amy… but have you ever thought that _I _am willing to kill _you_?"_

Amy was watching over Nathaniel as he eyed Sonic tickling a laughing Naomi. Was this jealousy she sensed? How cute! She laughed, and Sonic looked back at her, and it looked like his whole world had lit up in an instant.

_"Ah… but what am I going on about? You're so stubborn; most of this is probably just bouncing off of you anyway."_

_'I want you to stay the hell away from me, and my family!'_

_"I'll give you a day, Amy, to carry out this preposition." _The fox leaned forward. It seemed as if he had finally gotten to the point of his whole charade. _"I won't ask you to exchange the twins for Sonic. I know that you're not dumb enough to do that. I just want you to bring them… whether I can touch them or not is up to you. I just want to see them… and then, I'll give Sonic back to you."_

Amy's mouth trembled from the sudden onslaught of memories. "Do you really think that I'd believe you, Tails?" she asked faintly.

_"I don't care whether you believe me or not," _the fox said, as if in reply. _"But… you don't really have a choice in this, do you?"_

Amy clutched her fists together. "You…"

_"… I think we understand each other. See you in a day."_

The screen went black, and then flickered back to the news.

"Amy…" She felt a gloved hand touch her shoulders, but she roughly shook them away. "Amy…" the bat tried again. "What are you going to do?"

"Amy?"

Naomi's huge eyes stared back at her, traces of fear still present, but slowly being eaten away by curiosity. "Were you on t.v?"

Amy's lips trembled. She swallowed hard, her throat suddenly trying to constrict itself around her tongue. "In a way…" she whispered. She walked to them, suddenly realizing that they didn't really, _truly_ understand what was happening. They didn't know that their own mother used to be a hero, or that they were in some sort of messed up legend that required them to die.

_'They don't know… they don't know anything…'_

She pulled them into a hug, and the two looked startled, but returned the embrace. "Are we going to be famous, Mommy?" Nathaniel asked, as completely out of the loop as Naomi was.

"… Yes, Nathan." She forced herself to smile. "We're going to be stars."

"Stars?" Naomi pulled herself out. "Stars? We're gonna be stars!" She danced away, inviting her brother to prance with her.

Nathan laughed. "Singing stars!" He laughed, and they had already forgotten everything, bouncing off the sofa happily.

"Err… Amy?" Rouge asked, staring at her back. "I-"

"You know where we're going, right?"

"Huh?" Rouge looked taken aback. "O-of course! The old jail…" She trailed off, fighting back old memories.

"Start packing." Amy stood up abruptly, fighting back dizziness and lack of sleep.

"We're really going?!" Rouge asked in surprise, barely hiding a note of joy.

Amy ignored her tone of voice. "Of course… we are…" She turned to him, a smile on her face. "As soon as… the night is over… the place isn't too far away…"

"Oh, thank you, Amy!" Tears were gathered at the corner of her eyes. "I-"

"Rouge," Amy said sharply. "Not now."

"Right, of course, sorry." The words blurred together in her haste to get started. "I'll start packing for all of us… Thank you, Amy!" She started walking away, but suddenly stopped. "Umm… Amy… I don't know if I can ask this later… but…"

"What is it, Rouge?" Amy prompted impatiently.

"Well… that is…"

"Spit it out."

"Do you really hate Sonic?" she blurted out.

"…" Amy turned away from her. "What a… What a stupid question, Rouge. Don't waste my time… or your daughters'."

"S-Sorry, Amy," she stuttered. "I'll leave."

When Rouge left, it was quiet again, except for the quiet hum of the news being played in front of her. The twins had bounced away somewhere, and it was going to take a while for them to calm down enough to sleep.

So that left her, all by herself.

She was all by herself… because no one wanted to help her now.

* * *

The fox had popped back into his life out of nowhere. 

_'I… I should've expected it,' _thought Sonic, his eyes scanning the screen as the fox made his announcement. _'I should've _known…'

_"I have Sonic."_

It was a bluff.

It was a trap.

It was going to get them all killed.

_'I'm right here!' _Sonic wanted to yell, loud enough for the whole world to hear. _'I'm right here… home…'_

"Damn it!" Sonic swore under his breath. "Tails, you _fool, _what are you thinking?"

He squeezed his eyes shut, his ears pricked as the broadcast continued.

_"From what I heard, you no longer love Sonic, do you?"_

He knew that already, but the words still stung deeply, as if Tails was poking at a wound that had never healed. He made himself breathe through his nose, and out his mouth, trying to calm himself down.

_"… We've even trampled on the hearts of people who wanted to do nothing but help us…"_

_"Tails…" _He didn't want to hear it – the truths that were spewing out of the fox's mouth, even though he knew he couldn't deny them. Amy _had _trampled on his heart… but he knew that he had trampled on hers more often then not, and he had betrayed her… His chest squeezed hard, as if trying to cave in on his heart and make it stop beating. _"I tried… I tried… to save them…"_

_"I'll give you a day, Amy…"_

Only a day? Sonic opened his eyes again, watched Tails's mouth moving without hearing the words. _'I only have a day… only one day to try and save them…'_

He knew where they would be going, of course. His little brother… or, the one who _used _to be his little brother, was practical to the point of being predictable.

Sonic blinked. _'Strange that I can remember old tidbits like that… It feels like it's been forever…'_

He looked around him once. No one was around.

He hurriedly turned off the old, squat television. He was going to have to go as quickly and quietly as he could. Rose wasn't going to let him leave without a fuss… and it was going to hurt the two who had become like family to him, but he had to leave… he had to leave…

Still reminding himself to breathe, he made his way through the hall, running his hand along the wall, as if determined to memorize the texture, the smoothness of the old wood, and where exactly the floor creaked when he stepped on it.

'_I have to leave here. I have to leave… home.' _

Home… he had found a place he could call home.

And he wasn't going to be able to come back.

He had no doubt that Tails would make sure of that. And if not Tails… Amy.

Shouldn't he be scared? He was about to go up against two people that he could never hurt, as much evil as they do, or as much as they caused everyone pain. If they tried to take his life… he would be able to do nothing.

Especially against Amy.

His chest tightened. _'I should be scared. I want to live, don't I? Don't I?' _

He stopped. _'I want to live… and yet, I'm not afraid to die.'_

He blinked once… twice… and found that he was in front of that room.

The little girl's room… the one who had never defeated her demons. Rose's granddaughter… wasn't that who she was? He cocked his head to the side, drinking in the sight of the room – every little girl's dream room. A little princess's room.

He tried to visualize Rose's granddaughter, happy, laughing, as she ran around in the now forlorn looking room. He tried to imagine sunlight streaming through the closed curtains, the window opened and a lock of breeze curling in. He tried to imagine the cabinets free of dust and shining like gold.

But he couldn't.

Whenever he tried, he could only see a frightened, faceless girl, shivering as something unknown and untouchable blot out everything the little girl tried to reach for.

No… not faceless. Sonic squinted. He could imagine jade eyes… pink quills… soft lips screaming at him, _"Save me! Why won't you try to save me?"_

'_No…' _He backed out in horror. _'Why… why am I seeing this now?'_

He turned, bolting for the front door. He squeezed his eyes shut, tears trying to force their way out. _'Why am I crying? I…' _He grabbed the handle of the door, the coldness of the metal seeping through his glove. _'… No… I'm not crying… Why am I crying?'_

"It's cold. At least take a jacket."

Rose stared at his face, now turned towards her. She was holding up a jacket, her eyes as wide and as baleful as a child's. "You're leaving, aren't you?"

Sonic turned away from her. He couldn't stand it! Why did they have to look so alike? "… Please don't try to stop me," he said.

He could feel Rose's sad smile before he even saw it. "Sonic…"

_"Don't!" _he yelled. When Rose's expression didn't change, his chest tightened even more unbearably. "Why do you have to be so understanding?" he kept yelling. "Why do you keep on wanting to help me? _Don't you know what I've done?" _He gripped the handle hard; he was surprised it didn't crush under his fingers. "Please… stop it…"

"Sonic… you know why," Rose said simply.

Sonic refused to look at her. "No… I don't."

"Yes you do," Rose insisted. "Compassion… remember?"

"Compassion… it's just another word for pity, isn't it?" Sonic asked, contempt in his every word. "I've done _plenty _of pitying for myself. I don't need compassion… I don't _want _it!" Sonic felt his lips turn up into a painful smile. "She… she always hated that about me…" He shook his head slowly. "It's no wonder Amy left… Who can take a pathetic creature like me who wallows in his self pity?"

"But… you protected her."

_"I tried," _Sonic bit out. "I _tried _to protect her. I _tried _to protect the twins. I _tried _to be someone she could love. I _tried_. I _tried!"_

"And isn't that enough?"

He felt something warm and heavy cover his back, and looked at it in surprise. The jacket? "Rose…?"

"You're wrong you know… about compassion," she said, her back turned to him.

"What?"

"Pity… is when you feel sorry for someone. It's when someone watches the news, hears about a shooting, think, _'God, how horrible, I feel sorry for them,' _and then switches to the comedy channel."

She turned around to face him, and her eyes were full of sympathy. "Compassion… is when you feel sorry for someone, and do something about it. It's when someone sees the people around him in danger – friends, family, complete strangers… it doesn't matter who…"

She smiled again. "It's when he sees them in danger, think, _'God how horrible, I feel sorry for them,' _then does whatever he can to help." She spread out her arms, and for a second, Sonic could've sworn he heard Amy laughing at him. "That's what Amy believes… and that's why she loves you."

She put a hand on his shoulder. "You… you're a compassionate person. Even though you pitied yourself, you still went on. You still lived for someone – Amy and the twins. You still tried… and I'm sure Amy thanks you for it." She slowly took his arms and put them in the sleeve of the coat. "And even now… even now, you want to help her." She zipped up his jacket, as if he was still a child who was just learning how. "I'm sure you can save her… I'm sure you can save her from the demons that haunt her. You do want to save her, don't you?"

"I…" Sonic swallowed, and Rose _tsk-_ed at him.

"Now, now, no tears. Isn't that what you're always saying?"

"I'm… not… crying…" he replied thickly, closing his eyes. "Well… maybe just one tear…" he said, feeling one slide down his cheek. He opened his eyes, and managed a small smile. "… Thanks Rose."

"Ha, I just gave you a little push, that's all." Rose tapped him lightly on the back. "Now get going. Leighton isn't going to let you off as easily as I did. He still hasn't forgiven you for trying to ride one of the horses barebacked."

Sonic smiled sheepishly, before opening the door. The chill air froze everything on his face in their tracks, and he was thankful for his coat.

"Oh… before you leave…"

Sonic stopped.

"Remember the story about the little girl and her demons?" Rose asked.

"Oh… yes, I do," replied Sonic. "Is there something wrong?" he asked, curious.

Rose shook her head. "No… She came back to me once, after many years." She placed her hand on her cheek, remembering. "I didn't know why at the time… but she looked a lot less haunted then she did when she was a little girl." Rose looked up, meeting his eyes. "But… I think I know why now."

Sonic looked confused. "I'm sorry, but I don't know what you mean."

Rose gave him an incredulous look, before laughing aloud. "My, my. Dense _and _perceptive." Sonic looked bewildered, but Rose just kept laughing. "Good luck finding Amy." She wiped away a tear, before reaching for the handle.

Sonic nodded, turning. But then, he whipped around, as if a sudden thought had struck him. "… Wait, the little girl! Was she A-"

Rose pushed him outside with surprising strength for her old age. Sonic stumbled on the steps with a startled yell, but still managed to hear her say, "… Goodbye, Sonic the Hedgehog."

Too late. The door was closed.

There was no turning back.

* * *

**_A/N: _**DUN DUN DUN! And the plot thickens...

I hope I got to everyone when I was answering reviews, too! I'm 99.9 percent sure that I missed someone... If it was you, I'm so sorry! I'll look for your review and try to answer that one too!

On a (more) serious note, here's a question to ponder about the story, if you choose to answer it for us. From most of the reviews until recently, you've all seemed to be on Amy's side. Now, you've all seem to be wavering on the side that you're on. So, we'd like to know who's side you'd be on if you had a say in this, and why. After all, they're all doing something that they think is right... right? So imagine that you were a citizen in Sonic's world... pretend that somehow you've known all the events that's happened in this story. Remember that legends can very much be reality in this world (hey, if they can have magical emeralds of doom, random Chaos, and a freaky water god, they can have legends), and that this particular legend has a chance of becoming real.

Which character would you support? Would you support one of our furry friends, or would you support the rest of the world? Remember, the rest of the world wants those twins dead. As Knuckles put it, "No twins, no problem." Are you willing to risk your own life for two children that you barely know? Or have you've merely been on Amy's side because we've been writing about things from her point of view, and have pretty much made even the worst things she's done seem like it was the right thing? Or do you just think everyone's screwed up anyways, and that you're not on any of their sides?

... Whoa, that sounds so melancholy...

Anyways, please answer if you can! It's likely not going to affect the story though... this is merely out of curiosity :)

Thanks for reading!

**_Anonymous Reviews:_**

**Cake the Crab: **Aww, it's just nice to know that you've been reading this at all! Even if we don't get reviews, hits are just as nice :) Thanks for being so supportive, and it's great to know that our story has touched you so deeply! We won't fail you! Thanks for reading!

**DeniedLuv: **... Really? Well, how about we stop writing for a year, then the chapter would definately blow your socks off! (Yelps and hides from angry readers). I was kidding, kidding! Thanks for reading!

The Queen of Aces

azngirlchibi


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N:** Hey you guys, it's me, Aces. Now I know what you're thinking, and most of you are probably pissed at me because I took so long to write this stupid chapter.

Well, I don't care, because the truth is that over the past couple of weeks I've become exhausted, hospitalized, underweight, and utterly awesome, all at once. We had our last basketball game a couple of weeks ago, since we lost first place district by three points! But what are you gonna do about that? Anyways, that means that spring sports officially started.

For those of you who don't know, the spring sports have the most activities out of all the seasons. During fall, you have cross country, volleyball, cheerleading, and football, while you do basketball and swimming in the winter. And usually it's easy for me to juggle two to three sports at a time, so I've always been able to get my writing on time. But the moment spring sports start, well, all of that changes.

You see, spring sports include: Softball, tennis, track, continuous competitive cross country, and dancing. And guess which ones I'm in? Yep, all of them. I haven't even been able to eat lunch at school because that's the only possible time I can practice my ballet with Coach G. I use my free period to try out for track events, and I have to get to school at five in the morning to do my cross country workout.

I'm up at the school till seven or eight most of the time, and I have finals coming up. The coaches and teachers have me running back and forth and now the doctor is on my case because I dislocated my shoulder. Don't worry, I popped it right back into place. But it still hurts, bad. And I've lost a total of ten pounds! That's a terrible thing! Terrible! The only day I get off is Sunday, and that's only after I go to church and volunteer down at the preschool. I'm so worn thin that I've started to bawl my eyes out when I have to get ready for school.

And I know what you're wondering: Aces, why don't you just quit a sport or two? Make your life easier?

The answer is two things: One, the coaches won't let me, and two, I love every single sport I'm trying out for. And I'm good at them too! Last year, I not only claimed the best time on the 200 for girls, but boys too. And I blow away our competition when it comes to tennis! And no one in the entire northern state is as graceful as I am when doing ballet. In softball, I'm a triple threat because I can pitch, hit, and catch like a beast! But unfortunately, doing all of them means no free time whatsoever. In fact, my teammates had to get coach to carry me out to my mom's car because I hit the floor of the locker room and just fainted, without even changing out of my track sweats. I need every ounce of sleep I can get, so I've gotten in the habit of going to sleep at eight thirty.

Is THAT a good enough explanation for ya? Yeah, and you guys think YOU have it rough. By the way, like azngirlchibi, I too have found a new anime to obsess over! My step-sis showed it to me! It's called AIR, and it's the anime that inspired the last scene between Nathaniel and Amy. Since in the anime, Misuzu and Haruko share a scene exactly like it. Well, anyways, I hope you guys find a way to enjoy this chapter. (Grabs stuffed bunny and blanket) I'm going to get some sleep; tomorrow we have our first track meet. Wish me luck! (Curls up into a ball) Goodnight…

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

-"Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.  
It is the bitter potion by which the physician within you heals your sick  
self. Therefore, trust the physician, and drink its remedy in silence and  
tranquility."

-Huey Freeman from the Boondocks  
Episode 11, Wingmen

* * *

_The Queen of Aces

* * *

_

The moment she came into the room to tuck them into bed, Nathaniel knew something was wrong.

His mother did not walk to them with her usual confident and purposed stride, her mind only set on the stories of pirates and lands made only of candy so that they could be satisfied.

No, now her walk is soft, slow, and cautious. Like how you're supposed to walk when you carry scissors, Nathaniel related, watching her carefully. Her eyes were pink around the edges, and her shoulders were shaking, so Nathaniel knew she had been crying. She wouldn't meet their eyes, and she held her arms around her as if she was in danger of falling apart. The little boy cringed as she approached them, his heart in his throat. Will they have to move again, like last time this happened?

The twins didn't say a word as she wipes at her eyes in a desperate attempt to compose herself, her resounding sobs filling the air so that it echoed around them and amplified itself ten times louder.

Naomi seemed to fold in on herself, a pained look in her eyes as she sympathetically noted Amy's hurt, holding on tight to her favorite stuffed animal like she knew what her mother was really feeling. When Amy finally did speak, it sounded like she had swallowed paste, her words separate and emphasized like it was something he would always need to remember.

"You guys…" she swallows and tip-toes toward them, like she is crossing a line and resisting it all the way. For a moment after she spoke, she seemed to try and take it back, but then her shoulders stiffened and she raised her head to see them fully. "I need to…" she looked away, toward the open window with a look that Nathaniel couldn't make sense of. She started to fiddle with her hands, something he has never seen her do.

"I have some things I want to tell you guys…okay?" she quieted back down, while Nathaniel and Naomi shared a look. With a sort of understanding, they both crawled out of bed and took her hands, watching her wondrous gaze turn into a heartbroken stare.

All three of them lower down to the floor, still holding hands, but his mother will not let them go. While they wait, she began to speak in a voice that was not her own. "You guys know I'm not your real mother…" but even these words seem to hurt her, she paused. "I mean, you didn't come out of my belly."

Naomi settled herself right next to Amy, like a kitten would to seek warmth and comfort, even though she was the one giving it. "You're like our second mommy." She told the pink hedgehog, smiling and presenting her with a title even better than the one she cannot have. "But you're better than a first mommy."

Amy gave a smile back and wrapped her arms around them, so that they lay between her legs while they all stared out of the open window. "Well, the reason I'm your second mommy, is because I found you." She rubbed their backs while she spoke, holding them even closer. "When you were babies, someone left you at my house, because they wanted me to take care of you."

"Who did?" Nathaniel asks, his eyes riddled with curiosity. He turned his neck to meet her face. "Who left us?"

Amy merely patted his head, lovingly cradling him. "I don't know baby." She merely tried, her fingers lacing through his hair. "All I know is that they wanted me to have you guys. So I took you in, and I promised that I would always protect you. I didn't want anything to happen to you guys, not ever." Amy took a minute to breath, tears gathering at the base of her eyes. "Back then, I was always playing with my friends."

Naomi didn't blink. "Like Miss Rouge?" And Nathaniel watched his mom nod slowly, her face looking anything but peaceful. She seemed plagued with a burden that she couldn't get rid of, and it wasn't until she started to speak again that he understood why.

"Well, one day, my friends came by…and I thought they wanted to play. But, they didn't. They told me that you guys were bad babies and that I should give you up and not protect you." Amy began to shake, her eyes glazing over while she held them close enough for them to feel the beat of her heart through her skin. "They tried to make me give you away."

Naomi frowned. "But why?" she gestured towards herself, then at her brother. "We're not bad babies." She replied, her voice laced with confusion, as if the thought of them being bad was unimaginable. She then looked back up at Amy, her eyes lighted with determination. "We're good people, aren't we?" she asked, while Amy stroked her hair.

"Of course you are." She responded softly, the tone of her voice nearly a whisper. "But they didn't think so." Her eyes turned dark. "So I ran away from home and I took you two with me."

Nathaniel smiled against her skin. "Because you love us." He clarified, his eyes burning with this pride. "Even more than all the world, right?" Amy couldn't help but hold him. "Even more than all the world." She repeated, then she went still. "But one of them found us, and he wants you two back." She watched their faces grow fearful, before Naomi looked up. "And he says that if we don't go see him tomorrow, he'll find us and hurt us really badly. And I can't let that happen to you. So in the morning, we're going to pack our stuff, and try and talk to him." Nathaniel trembled, his voice coming out strained.

"No." he shook his head, so that his bangs hung over his eye. "I don't want to see him." He backed away from his sister and his mother, looking utterly devastated. "What if they make you go away?" his lower lip trembled.

Amy frowned. "Then I'll find my way back to you." She tried to reach for him, but he jerked away. "Nathaniel, please, I promised I'd always keep you safe. And I will, no matter what happens tomorrow."

"What does he want with me?" he whined, tears already starting to form in his pupil-less eyes. When she couldn't even look at him, he knew what she meant. Because of the stuff that he kept inside him, the curse she had often told him was really a misunderstood magic. "Don't make me go," he looked at Amy, begging. Trying to convince her to keep him close.

What would he do without her? And what exactly could his mother do without him by her side? Didn't she know that they weren't ever supposed to be separated? His dreams told him so. And he was convinced that the moment they were apart, something bad would happen, like in his nightmares. Where everything was on fire and the sky was the scariest shade of black.

He felt his eyes water, 'don't leave me', he thought in sorrow, 'don't…' He stared at his sister, who clutched at Amy's dress and was trying to hide her face from his eyes, even though it was obvious that she was crying. What if she got hurt because they had to go? Nathaniel felt a chill sweep over his body, leaving him desperate for warmth, and protection.

"Don't make me go, Mama, please. I don't want…" he paused to sniffle, at the same time Amy looked down. Nathaniel silently broke down when he saw the way she folded into herself when he called her mama. He swallowed so hard he felt his heart plunge into his stomach. "Amy…" he tried again, hoping to repair his mistake.

Amy shook her head. "I'm sorry Nathaniel." She whispered, regretfully, as she bit her lip. "I'm so, so sorry." She reached for him, trying to draw him closer to her, as if that would make a difference.

Nathaniel shook his head harder, fighting off his mother while she tried to hold him. "No!" he screamed, so loudly that it seemed to rattle the windows. "No!" Amy gritted her teeth, pulling him to her while he struggled. Nathaniel felt himself losing, felt her arms already around him. Suddenly he couldn't breathe, and his lungs were burning alive. He couldn't go, he couldn't. He wouldn't let himself. He felt his heart stutter, as he threw back his head and sobbed out a cry. "NO!"

The next thing Amy felt was open air, as she fell onto the ground. She turned her head to face where her child had been, only to see small sparkles in his place.

For a second she did not believe that her child had vanished, staring blankly before turning to her daughter. Naomi was staring with a horrified expression, as Amy felt herself begin to die away as she looked back, realization dawning.

"Nathaniel?" she managed in a choked voice. There was no reply. She started to hyperventilate, getting onto her feet and searching the entire bedroom of the apartment. "Nathaniel!" she checked underneath the bed, in the shower, only to find he was gone.

"Nathaniel!"

Amy scooped up Naomi in her arms, about to leave the room when she was suddenly face-to-face with Rouge.

"I heard you screaming." She offered, before staring at the single child in her arms. "Where…?" she asked, her voice tight. Amy pushed past her with her free hand, already looking for her lost boy, but not willing to admit what she already knew.

"Nathaniel!" she screamed in a monstrously ragged voice. "Nathaniel!" she ran throughout every room, her skin going cold.

"Nathaniel! Baby, where are you?"

She tried the last place, but came up with nothing. Amy held onto her daughter so tight she thought her despair might seep into her own skin. "Nathaniel…" she murmured, sinking down to her knees, before rocking back and forth while they both cried. Amy heard only her own voice, lost and scared without him beside her. "Nathaniel..." She whispered as she kept rocking. It faded away into nothing. "Don't leave me…don't…"

* * *

No matter what they told her, Ruby Ashley knew she was dying.

There were people at her bedside, all holding onto her in some way, be an arm or leg or even the bare landscape of her elbows, like they were all playing a game of tug-a-war and nobody was winning.

They brought things that were supposed to make her feel better, like the princess tiara she got for her last birthday, or the jar of ladybugs she caught almost a week ago. Her uncle watched her carefully as he pushed against her frail little chest, trying to find the artery in her heart that was already collapsing.

She let herself wince, not caring if she looked like a cry baby anymore.

"Mommy..." she whispered weakly, her words breaking apart. Vanilla stood at her side, stroking her head in a way that was too affectionate to remind her of her own mother.

"Soon." She recited, as the bat began to cry. The caring rabbit parted the hair that was in her face, before Ruby felt the calming touch of her fingers weave through her hair like she was trying to unravel her thoughts.

She drew away, turning her head to the side and staring at the monitor and trying to find a rhythm in the beat of her heart. Vanilla frowned, before she took the child's hand and smiled so softly that Ruby felt it melt her resistance without even looking.

"Would you like something to eat? You must be awfully hungry." Vanilla took a second to reach for the bowl of noodles she had prepared. Ruby turned her head, watching the rabbit gather a forkful of spaghetti, before lifting her caramel eyes to smile at her.

When she brought the fork to her mouth, and Ruby jerked away, Vanilla felt her insides crush. "What's wrong honey? Don't you like noodles? I thought they were your favorite." She prodded further, urging. "Please Ruby…"

The little bat felt the pain of lifting her arms before she even smacked the food away. The bowl instantly shattered, and Vanilla was left to merely stare at the little girl. Ruby breathed hard, tears streaming from her eyes.

"Leave me alone!" she turned her head to stare at Tails, who was nearly as shocked as Vanilla. She threw down his stethoscope before collapsing onto her pillow in exhaustion.

"Stop," she whispered, her eyelashes fluttering as she stared at them with aqua eyes that were already dilating. "Just leave me alone," she finished in a breath, while she slipped off into sleep, leaving them to pick up the pieces of her actions.

* * *

The next thing she felt was the hands gripping her shoulders and the words that came next. "Amy," Rouge managed, sounding as if she too were hurting. "It's alright," she soothed, holding her tightly like she hoped to do to her own daughter. 

Naomi curled up against the pink hedgehog, her tears mixing with theirs until it became a puddle of united grief. Rouge cocooned herself around them, trying to stop them from falling apart. "It's going to be alright." She bent down to watch Amy's face, and only saw the look of a woman in too much pain to even feel it.

Though they were never that close, before or after this entire accident, they both had something in common now. They gave their hearts away to the people most certain to break them, and this was more than enough to close the wall they had both built over the years. The simple knowing that they were both broken, was enough to fix their friendship. She watched the shapes of Amy's eyes fade until all that remained was an empty pool of callow green, and knew they had to find him.

Amy traced the silver stripes of tears that marked Naomi's face and kissed her sweetly to let her know she would not leave her. Then she buried her face in the crook of her neck and held her close enough so that she could feel her heart, and how bad it was breaking.

Rouge sensed this desperation, and slowly snuck her hands between them. "Amy," she tried, already pulling her only remaining child away from her. "You should go look for him." She spoke slowly, hoping that she would understand. Amy merely cried out in pain, before snatching Naomi back to her and shaking her head.

"I don't…" she sobbed out, heartbroken. "Tails has him. I don't…"

The bat frowned, sympathy justifying her every move as she touched her shoulder. "Not Sonic, sweetie." She explained. "Nathaniel."

It was so strange, just days before Amy had been the one in control. She had been manipulative, power-hungry, and determined to break the bat in two. But the moment Nathaniel was gone, she instantly became the Amy everyone remembered. Desperate, loving, dependant, needing a hero to save her because she could no longer save herself.

As if that special little boy held the other half of Amy capable of keeping herself together.

Rouge marveled at the way her old rival began to strengthen at her words, a light flaming inside her that seemed to defrost her depression. "Yeah…"

Rouge smiled. "Now, Amy, where do you think Nathaniel would go? Does he have a favorite place?" For a second, Amy didn't respond. Rouge tried to clarify. "Isn't there a place he always felt at home, safe? A place he knew he belonged?"

"Yes." Amy turned to Rouge, before she took her free palm and pressed it tenderly against her chest, before forming a fist as if she were really holding her heart in her hand. "Right here."

* * *

Nathaniel honestly didn't care that his adoptive mother was not his real mother.

He stared out at the vast horizon, the waves moving over his feet like the ocean was trying to draw him in, take him away from land and away from all of the troubles of this world. He took in the smell of the air, rich and laced with salt to tell him that he was not too far from his home, even if he didn't know which direction it was in.

He wondered if the world under the water was brighter, if the reason he could float in the sea was because it carried no burdens to drag him down, he faintly realized that he liked the idea of living underwater very much.

In this light, with the sun setting at just the right angle, the ripples in the water were the same honey pink as his mother's hair.

'Mama...'

He never cared that Amy did not give birth to him, never cared that sometimes she couldn't stand to be called mama because it reminded her that she wasn't. He never gave two thoughts about his real mother, or the life they could have had if he would have never been given away.

Because when it came down to it, there was no one who loved him like Amy.

No one else who lived her life just to see him play in the park, who denied her own needs for new clothes just so that he could have new Air Jordan basketball shoes that no other kid had.

No one else could make cookies with nacho cheese in the middle and turn a dish towel into a bandana that let him believe he was really a pirate. There was no other mama who blew a flurry of kisses on his tummy when he was down and lifted him so he could try and touch the sky, who never ever wished for anything else but more days with him. That kind of love was immeasurable, and certainly irreplaceable.

Nathaniel often wondered how she could even think to separate them. It would be like trying to undo the knot that connected two strings without letting them part. It was impossible, and it would only kill the both of them, who were so intertwined that he believed they were the real set of twins in the family.

His mother was probably the only person in the entire galaxy he loved more than his dear sister, who seemed to be getting sicker and sicker all the time. And right now he wanted nothing more than to hold Amy close and apologize. Because as bad as this plan was, a part of him knew that she would protect him from anything that even tried to harm him.

Nathaniel uncurled his hand, watching the valley of his palm. If he didn't have this magic, they wouldn't even be here. They would be like all the normal kids, who only had to worry about preschool and lunchtime. He felt the cool breeze of the ocean and let his hand catch the wind, his eyes filled to the brim with sadness that he could not be what he was supposed to be.

"Sorry Mommy." He whispered, as he closed his eyes and let his hand drop to his side.

"Nathaniel!"

The little boy gasped as his eyes snapped open, for a minute simply transfixed on the shell that had washed onto shore. He turned his head slowly, before his eyes caught the image of his mother, on the other side of the beach, standing too far away for him to see the expression on her face. He could make out the shadows of her form, the image of her hair being carried by the ocean breeze. He turned even more to face her, his face bewildered and his body numb.

They stared at each other for the longest time, while his face took on a look of tranquility. She found him, she found him just like she said she would if he ever got lost. Suddenly all the fear Nathaniel had been controlled under pooled out of his body, as he found himself sobbing and taking a step forward.  
"Mama." He whispered, even though he knew she could not hear. He broke out onto a run toward her, tears cascading and tasting just like seawater. "Mama!" he kept running towards her, crying hysterically.

"Mama!"

Amy mirrored his movements, running to her son with a flurry of tears. When he came to her, Amy dropped to her knees, holding out her arms while he plunged into them. They hugged each other so tenderly it was as if they had not seen in other in years, rather than hours, both of them unable to hold in their emotions. The sound of the ocean was their song, and Amy had never heard anything more beautiful.

"Nathaniel," she whispered gently, never letting go for a minute. "I was so worried…" she trailed off to choke down a sob. "I really thought…"

She didn't finish, just settled her face in the landscape of his shoulder and clutched him tighter. She thought about the reason she believed he was brought to her. When she had first seperated herself away from Sonic, she had believed that they were truly star-crossed lovers now, and Nathaniel and Naomi were sent to her to bring them back together. They would be the bridge to connect her back to where her blue hero would be waiting.

And it happened so fast, Amy could have never even hope to remember the exact moment she thought of Nathaniel as more than a gift and her bridge. But rather, her other half. She felt his head rest on her shoulder, and she smiled. This is where you will always belong, she thought.

Tails could not possibly understand, Amy thought with a spark of pity. He may have called her a hypocrite, claiming that he loved Cream. 'Oh how wrong you are,' Amy held onto her son while he cried, 'you do not know what love is. You think that what you feel is equivalent to what I feel? What you're doing for Cream is not out of love. You're just trying to save her in a way that you couldn't do for Cosmo. You hate the idea of being alone, you want her back to be there and tell you it's going to be okay. Everything I did, I had to do. Not just for me, or even for my babies, like everyone assumes. You cannot possibly know the truth of my actions.'

She thought of the last time she had seen her friends before she shot them. 'If you kill someone who is already dying, does that count as murder?' There is was again, the faded auburn of Cream's eyes that were forever etched into her memory. Hadn't she sensed in that moment how much she wanted what Amy could give her? How much the little rabbit wanted her to do the unthinkable for a way out?

'Oh Cream,' Amy thought to herself sadly. 'If only he knew what we had to do. If only Tails could understand that I hurt you, because I loved you.' She thought of Knuckles and Shadow, the moment before she struck in what was only supposed to be a harmless attempt to get away. Relief and hope, so harsh and impossible that she realized at that moment what she would have to do. 'If you shoot your best friends because they asked you to, is that manslaughter? ' Her hands trembled.

'Is it okay to kill someone to save them? Tomorrow, will I have to convince him of the answer? Will I be able to say what I couldn't say all this time? When he asks me why I did it, and I'll tell him, simply: Because I love them too much to let them suffer. To let anyone suffer, even you. Will I be able to finally explain that at that moment, I was not a murderer, but a friend.'

Nathaniel watched his mother fight an internal battle, tears never faultering. Slowly, he slipped his hand into her own, squeezing easy at first until he began to use force. He felt the dimmenions of her bones, felt the soft skin of her palm. He continued to crush her hand until she drifted away from her daydream.

And in a way he had always done, Nathaniel Oliver brought his mother back to the real world.

* * *

**A/N: **So yeah... back to azngirlchibi. Hope you've like this Air-inspired chapter (by the way, it's a really good anime/manga, so go check it out on onemanga or crunchyroll!). I'll try to speed the next chapter your way, since it's my turn to write the next chapter (YAYZ!)

Oh, and if any of you remember our question from the last chapter, it was if you had a choice of who's side you'd be on, which one would you choose. I honestly couldn't believe how many people chose to stick with Sonic. I thought that most people would follow Amy, and a few people would choose to side with the rest of the world, but actually, I kept on hearing, "I'd side with Sonic - the poor guy didn't do anything wrong." The second most chosen "side" was actually that you'd probably want them dead. Not saying it's a bad thing - but I'm really surprised by how honest most of you actually were.

But whoa... I think only one or two of you said you'd side with Amy, but only half-heartedly, as in, you support her ideals, but not her methods.

Well, it's nice to know that you guys can be very opinionated, and it'd be hard to warp your minds with propaganda. I didn't think that so many people would choose Sonic - it blows my mind away XD And the views you guys have about the legend were interesting to read about (by interesting, I mean it ranged from, "That really different. Cool," to, "That's really different... (backs away from computer))."

Alright, done with that... now I'll just have to drool over SSBB... Sonic ftw!

Thanks for reading! (heartz)

**Anonymous Reviews: **

**Ytin: **Actually, I'm really touched that you read through twelve chapters to catch up... (sniffles) That's so sweet of you, and I'm so happy that the story seems to have caught your attention. Nathaniel and Naomi will probably never truly understand, to be honest, being as young as they are... which makes it even more sad. Tails's schemes are evil, but they do keep the story going along nicely XD Thanks for reading!

**Cake the Crab: **Whewt, two reviews from you to answer, yay! Your favourite authors? (blushes) Thanks! Hmm... we'd probably have used the yin-yang concept if it wasn't so overused and cliched. So probably not here. And of course we'd reply to your reviews (besides, it's not really like you get 300 reviews per chapter... my mind boggles at the very thought!), and even if we did get 300 reviews per chapter (sighs wistfully), we'd still at least _try _to answer them all. Moving along to your second review... Hmm, I guess you can be on Amy's and Sonic's side at the same time. I think you're basically saying that you'd be on Amy's side, with a few behaviour modifications. I kinda pity Sonic myself too... Poor guy... Anyways, thanks for the double-review!

... Me likes the anonymous reviews XD

_The Queen of Aces_

_azngirlchibi_


	26. Chapter 26

**_A/N: _**... Aww, it hasn't been that long, has it? (shies away from scary glares) Okay, I'm sorry, I promise to be more attentive when it comes to my e-mails and stuff...

And you probably realized that there were no review replies sent out... I have a huge backlog of stuff as most of you probably know by now, and I'm still trying to sort it all out. I did read them on the review board, so it's still all good, right? ... Right DX

I'll save my rambling for later.

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

_"Both of them... treasured me more than they did themselves. I laughed and cried with each of them. And then I noticed... the darkness in my heart that was supposed to be unbroken - Was tainted by a warm and kind light. Stop... Don't come into my darkness. Leave me alone...! I love both of you... so please get out of me."_

_**-Aya from Majin Tantei Nougami Neuro**_

* * *

_azngirlchibi_

* * *

The air tasted old and moldy here, near the old, depilated jail. The building seemed to lean to the side in a tired sort of way, and the sweet smell of rot drifted to his nose, coating his tongue with the glutinous taste of decay. The sky was a perpetual, blinding black that he hadn't thought possible, even for nighttime, the whip-like wound that was the moon bleeding silent, silver tears that rained heavily on his head and dripped down his back – cool fingers that chilled everything they touched.

"I thought you said that you weren't watching tonight."

A bright, red figure sat beside him, but Shadow only gave him the slightest of acknowledgements. He continued to stare down, his eyes focused on the entrance of the jail.

"… So, you're going to watch, even though you specifically said that you aren't going to?" Knuckles asked him, snapping him out of his staring.

"Hmph." Shadow folded his arms, irritated by the echidna's intrusion. "I changed my mind," he answered as quickly as possible, hoping that this answer would deter Knuckles from interrogating him further.

"Really?" Knuckles asked, looking genuinely interested. Shadow swallowed back a groan. He had really wanted to be alone tonight, of all nights. He forced himself to ignore Knuckles's presence, concentrating, once again, on the peeling double-doors of the run-down building.

"You're not planning on stopping them, are you?" Knuckles probed, interrupting Shadow's thoughts again.

"No," Shadow replied, his words clipped from annoyance. "I'm dead – the dead can only watch." His voice shook slightly. He had always thought it was so unfair that even though he was technically walking, technically breathing, and can still technically _feel _everything around him, the only difference between him and the living was that the living could – well, the living could do anything they wanted. The dead could only sit passively and watch.

"Tch, you're not the only dead one here, you know," said Knuckles, rolling his eyes. "Besides, if watching annoys you so much, why do you keep watching over them?"

"The same reason that you're watching Rouge every single damn moment of your existence," snapped Shadow. Why couldn't the infuriating echidna just leave him alone? He was like a dead copy of Sonic, with that smirk on his face.

Knuckles shrugged. "Touché." He stretched his muscular arms wide, before plopping down on his back with his head resting on his arms. Shadow noted that there was no stirring of wind as he did – proof that they really _were _dead. "Anyway, you know as well as I do that the dead don't just watch – they can influence too." Knuckles yawned. "Sending that damn dream to her – what were you hoping to accomplish?"

"Both you and Cream came with me, so you know what we all wanted." Shadow's hands tightened into fists, and he was sure that they'd be bleeding from the pressure if he could still bleed. "Living…" His eyes softened slightly at the very word, as he let it roll of his tongue as if he were tasting flakes of gold. "…To see the ones… that you want to see again."

"Living, huh?" Wind blew past, but of course, even the wind couldn't touch the dead. Knuckles held up an arm, palms out, as if enticing the wind to settle in his palm. "Do you think that they would be happy if we come back to life? Personally, I think Rouge would just kill me all over again."

"What – are you changing your mind?" asked Shadow, temporarily distracted.

"She spent three years getting over my death. Why should I go back, just to remind her of my memory? Why should I destroy all the hard work that she's been trying to do?" Knuckles closed his fists – even his namesakes couldn't affect the living anymore.

"But you'd be alive again – so you're not a memory," Shadow pointed out.

"Really? Can the dead really be brought back to life?" Knuckles turned his head slightly, so that he was staring at Shadow.

Shadow bristled. Why was he asking him this? "Ruby was brought back to life," he pointed out.

Knuckles smiled wryly. "Yeah, and look at how she's doing now. Three years and she's already half-dying." Knuckles flinched at his own words. "Ruby's… already… in danger again… and in the end, the little twerp couldn't do anything at all…" he whispered.

Shadow scoffed. "I don't get you. You sounded like you'd forgiven the little twerps, and now it sounds like you don't." He shook his head, looking disappointed for the first time. "So do you think that you're right or not?"

"'Am I right'"? Knuckles chuckled. "I wasn't so sure at first, but luckily, being dead and having nothing to do gives you a lot of time to think."

"Ha!" The black hedgehog stood up in a sudden, fluid motion, startling Knuckles into a sitting position. He turned, his strained smile looking more like a baring of teeth. "I like to hear this." He laughed contemptuously.

Strangely, the echidna smirked. "Alright, I'll tell you." Knuckles stood up, much more slowly than Shadow, and faced away from him. "I'll give Sonic and Amy credit – yeah, I see their justice and love crap. I know what it's like to love someone so much that you want to die for them. I know what it's like to see injustice and wanting to stop it. I understand their reasoning. I understand why they think they're right." He laughed softly at some unseen memory. "But… I always questioned if I were not right as well. I wanted to save the world – I wanted the most amount of people to live. That's not wrong, is it? I mean…" Knuckles whirled around, pointing at Shadow. "That was what the dream was all about, right? You just want to live."

Shadow raised an eyebrow coolly. "And…?"

"And… and what?" Knuckles spread out his hands, shrugging. "And… in the end, we were all wrong. Or was it… we were all right? Who knows. I'm dead, as you've so aptly put it, so it doesn't really matter what I think."

"Of… of course it matters!" Shadow suddenly blurted out. Knuckles looked at him oddly, but Shadow found that he didn't care. "Of course what we want matters! What we want… what the dead want…" He refused to believe it! He refused to believe that as much as he wanted something – as much as he wanted to be alive, so much that it pained his long-stopped heart, as much as he could swear that he was alive again, he couldn't have it. That he couldn't undo what couldn't be undone, like trying to spark a fire with wet wood.

"The dead and the living are two separate worlds – sure, we have memories, sure we can watch… but we can't do much else." Knuckles cast his gaze towards the door again, it's stillness almost eerie.

"Says who?" Shadow muttered angrily. "What's the point of being dead and making us watch anyway?" he added, fuming.

"Who knows? It's like asking, what's the point of living if we're just going to die?" Knuckles fiddled distractedly with his glove. "We don't know why, but we do it anyway."

"But… there has to be _something _we can do…" Shadow pulled a quill, still angry, his heart constricting with desperation.

"… Shadow…"

"What?" he snapped, turning to face the echidna.

"We can't do anything for them. Not Tails, not the twins, not Sonic… and not Amy."

_"God damn it!" _Knuckles didn't even look fazed at Shadow after his sudden outburst. "You… you really don't know _anything!_" His whole body shook, his quills rattling loudly in the gloomy silence. "I just want to help her! I just want… I just want to see Amy again… I – You already left life fulfilled! I didn't even get time…" He squeezed his eyes shut, refusing to let anything fall, even as he felt as if his body was trying to strangle itself. "… I didn't get any time to gain the things I've lost… No time at all…"

"… No, you had plenty of time. You just never used it well."

Knuckles cold words filled him with an icy hate, his skin freezing into a bitter frost. _"What do you know?!" _he screamed, punching him as hard as he could.

Nothing.

Shadow opened his eyes. _'What… how come…'_

"Shadow… you always had plenty of time, but you were just too greedy." Knuckles's wine-like eyes followed Shadow's arm, which had gone right through the echidna's chest. "You wanted to keep them both, didn't you? You wanted to keep Amy because you loved her… but you wanted to keep Sonic because he was the first friend that you had in a long time."

Shadow opened his hand slowly, just to make sure it was really still there. Slowly, he drew it out of Knuckles's chest, a slight tingling sensation the only indication that Knuckles was really in front of him. He stared at his gloved hand for a long time. "I…"

"It's too late to do anything now. We can't even affect each other." And as if to illustrate this point, Knuckles made a grab for Shadow's arms, but he ended up going through it and clenching onto thin air.

"I…" Shadow put his hand down delicately, as if it was a piece of glass that he could shatter at any moment. "I…" Why couldn't he get anything out of his mouth?

He breathed in deeply. "Why… why does she love Sonic so much?" he asked, a question that had been on his mind for far too long. "I… I wanted to be loved that much…" He put his hand over his chest, where his heart used to beat. "When I first saw them together, I thought to myself, _'If only I can have that love – than I would be truly happy.'" _

"That's probably why." Shadow looked up, and met Knuckles's piercing eyes. "You only wanted love – love, and nothing else. Sonic wanted _her _love – her love, and anything that came with it. And she in turn, wanted his."

"What makes you say that I only wanted love?"

"… It used to be Rouge, for a while, wasn't it."

"…" A statement, not a question.

And how true it was.

"So… you're saying that they're better off left alone?" Shadow asked him.

"We're about to find out."

Knuckles pointed to the distance in answer to Shadow's unasked question. One lone figure was running by itself, rapidly closing the distance between it and four other tiny figures, like a knot being tied much too fast.

Shadow stared at one particular dot for the longest time. He watched it run, watched it's determined face, it's chest going up and down in a motion that only the living really needed to feel. He could hear it's footfalls echoing loudly, feel the air of confidence grabbing him and throwing him up like a toy, rattling him until he couldn't stand it any more.

And then, there was the lone figure – Small, from where he was standing, like picking out a single blade of grass in a meadow that stretched as far as the sky. A single blade of grass whose roots never failed it, no matter how much the wind blew, no matter how hard it pushed against it or tried to rip it out altogether.

Something that could survive the volatile wind.

"… Hmph." He turned around, walking away.

"Not watching any more?" Knuckles asked, sounding surprised.

Shadow felt a slight tug at the corner of his lips.

"I changed my mind."

* * *

She probably would've missed him altogether if it wasn't for Rouge's sharp eyes and her alarmed flinch. 

But maybe he would've come to her anyway. Maybe she had finally gotten her long-lost wish – for him to run to her because he wanted to. Not because he had to – and the irony was sickening.

She stood, frozen, as slowly, like a magician dramatically sweeping away his cloak, he suddenly appeared. The powdery shadows blew themselves away, uncovering his face, his body, his hands, his eyes…

_"Sonic…" _she breathed, her eyes wide. "You…"

"It was a lie!" Sonic blurted out, before Amy could get another word in. "Tails tricked you into coming – he… he wants Nathaniel and Naomi. He probably wants me to come too, since he was so sure that I'd be watching too. I-"

"Do you know us?"

Amy turned around, and saw Nathaniel staring at Sonic, a hostile look written all over his face. "You know my name," Nathaniel stated, backing away slightly much like a cornered animal. "You know Naomi's too. Why?" he demanded. "How do you know us?" He held tighter onto Naomi, who winced slightly in pain, but buried herself closer to her brother nonetheless.

"I-" Sonic looked hurt, but why shouldn't he, thought Amy. Hadn't she always secretly hoped – no, she had _known _that the twins would forget. After all, memories wore away over time, everything wore away over time. She had wanted them all to herself. She had wanted them to love no one but her.

It was her right.

"I'm a friend. A friend from a long time ago."

Amy stared at him, eyes wide. He glanced, with a friendly disinterest at the twins, smiling slightly. "I'm just a friend. Like Miss. Rouge over there."

"Oh…" Nathaniel relaxed, loosening his grip on Naomi.

Sonic nodded again. He turned, as if he had decided that he had lost all interest. "Anyway, that's… that's all I wanted to say." Amy saw him glance at the twins, then at her again. Amy quickly looked away. What was she supposed to say? What was she supposed to feel? She had been so sure that she would've hated to see him, to yell at him, hit him, hurt him at first sight.

Instead, she was standing stock-still, every part of her numb, uncomprehending. _'Sonic is in front of me,' _she thought to herself. _'He is safe. He is in front of me, and he isn't hurt.' _

"I should be leaving."

_'Leaving? He's leaving? Why is he leaving?' _She should ask him – she wanted to ask him, the words on the tip of her tongue and begging to spill, but nothing wanted to obey her.

"Leaving? Where to?" Rouge asked for her, her voice sounding far away.

"I'm going to visit Tails." He backed away, turning around slightly. "He's bothered us enough, don't you think? And there's a certain little girl in there who might want to see her mother again."

"Sonic… I…" stuttered Rouge. "You would really…"

"You know, our one day time limit is almost up." Sonic cut in. He looked at Amy again, as if wondering why she didn't say anything. "I should-"

"Don't go."

The words shocked them all into silence, the first words that Amy spoke. Amy felt her mouth, still half-open; waiting for more words to be pulled out of the silence to fill her voice, but none came.

Sonic spoke first.

"Why…?" he whispered, so softly that even the moonlight hitting the floor was louder than he was.

_'Why?' _Amy asked herself, trembling. _'Why?'_

_'I don't want you to die.'_

_'I want you to stay.'_

_'Please don't go.'_

Whatever she could think have sounded laughable – words that were emptier than the silence, words that would hurt him, words that she didn't deserve to say.

_'Whatever I say won't work. Whatever I say… anything I say… No, there's nothing I can say. Nothing at all.'_

But she had to try.

For some reason, she just had to try.

"You don't need to go."

She heard Rouge's cry of disbelief, the twin's murmurs of confusion. She saw herself in her mind, darkness falling down on her like snow, burying her deeper and deeper until she couldn't claw herself out anymore, until it reached so deep into her that it grabbed her heart and laughed.

"You… You only came because you thought we were in danger, didn't you?" she asked quietly. "You came because you wanted to make sure the twins and I were alright, didn't you? Well, we are… so you don't need to go in."

A twig snapped, and Amy's face shot up. Sonic stepped back, revealing broken wood under his shoe. "Amy…"

"Don't get any ideas," she managed to growl. "It's just… you and I…"

_'You and I? Where is this 'you and I' coming from?' _The darkness hissed. _'If he wants to go in, let him. He is a fool for walking into death – let us live. Let us live… happily.'_

"Amy…" A twig snapped again, followed by a footfall, but Amy refused to look at him. "How can you trust me to come with you?"

"Don't… don't come with us! But just don't go in there either." She was inclined to add, "please," but held her tongue.

"I thought there wasn't a, "you and I."

"So what?" Amy cried out. She shook her head. "So what if there's no 'you and I'? Is surviving not so much more important? Don't you want to live?"

A few moments of tense silence passed.

Then there was a sigh, and she heard him suck in a deep breath. "You shouldn't be worrying about my life. It doesn't matter, anyway."

"W-What are you talking about?" Amy asked in disbelief. "If you die… then something terrible will happen. I thought you knew!"

Sonic raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And who told you this?"

"I-" She stopped herself. "… I… had a dream about it…" Her voice trailed off, the absurdity of her statement catching up with her. Who would believe that she had a dream about three dead friends? She had barely believed herself.

"…" Sonic's lips twitched up into an infuriating mocking smile. "I see."

"Wait… a dream?" Rouge rounded on her incredulously. "We were going on a wild goose-chase for Sonic…because of a _dream?"_

"Shut up!" Amy spat. "You just wanted to ask him to save Ruby, didn't you?"

Rouge glared back. "Yes, so what? He wants to go in, so why are you stopping him now? Do you honestly believe in some figment on your imagination?"

"I…" She clenched her fist in despair. "They wouldn't lie…"

"Huh… well, I guess I don't blame you for trusting three dead friends," said Sonic, still sounding amused.

"…" Amy stared at him. "… How… did you know _who _was in my dream?"

Sonic made a choking sound in the back of his mouth. "W-What?"

Realization dawned inside her. "_You knew?_" Amy stepped towards him, grass flattening in the sole of her boots. "You knew that… If you died… the twins might… Nathan and Naomi will…" Her voice cracked.

Was her heart supposed to still feel like it was being crushed? This was what hate was, wasn't it? Someone who could crush your heart so easily from the inside was an enemy – that had to be it.

"Amy…" he said, softly. "You're reading too deeply into the dream."

"What?" she asked, sharply.

"Who said anything about whether I live or not?" He paused, letting it sink in. "He just said to find me, didn't he? Well, here I am. You found me. Your job is done. It doesn't matter whether I live or not now."

"Wait-"

"'How did you know I was looking for you'?" he asked for her. He paused. "… Let's just say that you're not the only one who dreams. And I know that he said we needed to 'join forces,' too," he added. Amy shut her mouth again, not sure if she found his mind-reading annoying or unnerving. "But that could mean any number of things… but one of the key things were to _'protect the little boy,'" _he finished, emphasizing the last part. "So as long as he is safe, it's okay, even for you, isn't it?"

"So you're just going to go in there and _die?_" shouted Amy incredulously. _"Why?"_

Sonic just turned away. "I already told you, it doesn't matter."

Amy reached forward, grabbing his shoulder and whirling him around until they were face-to-face, his bewildered green eyes staring into hers, every single muscle tightening under her fingers. "Why are you going in?"

"Why do you _care?_"he shot back, starting to look angry as he tried to pry himself away from her iron grip.

"I…" She bit her tongue. Everything was screaming at her in confusion, her emotions starting to swirl around and grab at her…

She swallowed. "Fine. I don't care." She let him go, her fist suddenly feeling empty. "At least… at least tell me why you're going to go in there and die."

A corner of his mouth twitched as he rubbed his shoulder. "Am I supposed to have some sort of heroic reason?"

"You _are_ known for it…" she muttered under her breath.

He chuckled dryly in response. "Okay… but you'll laugh." He stopped, looking like he was gathering his thoughts, as he bit on a corner of his lip. "If you think back, there were two key parts in what they said." He held up one finger. "One is that the little boy stays alive." He held up another finger. "Two is that… _you _stay alive."

Amy staggered back in shock. She had completely forgotten.

"See… nothing about whether I stay alive or not."

"So… it _is _some sort of stupid heroic reason!" She shook her head in disbelief, her flying quills stinging her eyes. "You're just… you're just doing this for me… For us…?"

"Hmm…" Sonic tapped his chin in thought. "It's not really a heroic reason if saving you equals to world destruction, does it?" He spread out his hands. "I guess I'm just naturally a really good villain," he said wryly.

"I… Sonic…" She reached out a hand hesitantly, her fingers already tingling in unwanted anticipation. "What's the point of saving me, anyway?" The tip of her gloves touched his shoulder lightly, and she felt him stiffen underneath them again. "If you die… I…" She felt her face heat up, a trickle of sweat running down her neck. "I… mmph?!"

Her words were lost as Sonic's mouth swallowed them. His chapped lips were on hers… he was kissing her… She was shaking under him…

'_No…'_

Why was he touching her? Her skin was crawling, his fingers icy where they touched her cheek. She was gagging from his scent, her eyes burning from the closeness of his open eyes… his eyes that were too unnaturally green to be real.

'_No!'_

She shoved him, gasping when his lips were severed from hers. She choked, her face feeling strangely hot. "No…" she managed to utter. "No… don't… please…" She shook her head wildly, but the buzzing in her mind didn't clear. "Don't touch me!" she screamed.

Sonic did not move, his silence disturbing. His expression did not look hurt – there wasn't even anger in them.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. Through her daze, he saw his expression, suddenly alive with sadness. "I'm sorry for being so selfish. I'm sorry for trying to protect you but wanting things that hurt you at the same time. Just…" he hesitated. "If I'm about to die… I want you to be the one to kill me, okay? Just promise me that… Amy."

He left her, his running bending the trees and waking up the dead leaves on the floor, making them swirl and rustle in a miniature tornado that ripped up grass with a tearing noise.

Rouge stared at her for a moment. "Amy-"

"No."

Rouge stared. "What?"

"Hell no… that promise…" Amy shook, falling onto the ground as she touched her mouth lightly. "No… Sonic, you're so unfair…"

She closed her eyes. Was she crying? She touched her face. _'… I am…' _Her gloves were getting soaked and starting to smell of salt.

_'Why are you like this, Sonic?'_

She clenched onto the debris on the ground – leaves, grass, twigs, just-sprouting baby trees, their leaves only just beginning to peek from the dirt.

_'How can you still kiss me like that?'_

The tiny trees were dripping, soaking in her hot, crystalline tears as they flowed in gossamer strands off her face.

_'Don't kiss me like you still love me.'_

The three behind her watched in silence, too stunned to move.

_'Don't touch me like I'm the only one who can save you.'_

Her shoulders were shaking, as if they were about to collapse from some invisible weight.

_'Don't say my name like I'll always be there for you.'_

She couldn't take it! She wanted it to stop – her heart, her breathing, her thoughts. She just wanted to stop… for this long-winded adventure to end.

_'If you really love me… why can't you just say so?'_

She wanted an answer.

_'If you love me… why can't you just tell me the truth?'_

She wanted a _real _answer.

_'If you don't love me, then push me away. Gently push me away and smile. If you can't do that… if you can only hold me away at arm's length… then I will have to hate you. I'll have to hate you, Sonic.'_

Her lips were pulsing, as if it was now sharing the heart beat of another.

_'Don't try to heal me. Don't try to say comforting words to me. Don't touch me.'_

The monster… when did it's eyes turn green?

* * *

**_A/N: _**Once again, really sorry about the delay. It's all good now... cause it's March Break! YAY! The only bad thing is, it's been snowing where I live for two days straight... Ugh, I have a washroom down in the basement where it's pitch-black because the snow is covering up all the windows. ... That's how I knocked over the bottle of bleach. So I smell like an indoor swimming pool now. 

Anyways, you might've noticed that I reverted back to my old writing style where I use only one line per paragraph at some parts of the story. I don't remember why I stoppped doing that... personally, I think it gives more of an impact when certain lines are isolated into one paragraph. It makes it stand out more. But that's just me... honestly, I only started doing that because I read another story from like five years ago (the author STILL hasn't finished it, by the way...), and I was almost always more shocked by the emotional value of a particular sentence when it was isolated into one paragraph.

... Gods, I sound like a math geek. "Isolated..." (shudders) Reminds me of arithmetic.

Also, I want Brawl. But I can't get out because I'm basically snowed in. Great, couldn't have snowed during school and made it a snow day... DX

Thanks for you patience and your support!

_The Queen of Aces_

_azngirlchibi_


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: Okay, so I bet you guys are excited that I get to his chapter. Haha, nawt, but you guys can enjoy the story when azngirlchibi writes her chapter alright? Sure you can, she'll bring you a better chapter I'm sure. I've seriously been working on this forever, but everyday I was only able to contribute a paragraph due to my busy schedule which is why this chapter took so incredibly long! In fact, we've had the majority of our track meets already, if you can believe it! Just yesterday we faced our old rival, the Anna coyotes, to decide if we get to go to state! I had to run the 200, the 400, and the 800. Coach wanted me to the 400 relay but the UIL rules states that I can only compete in three events so I didn't have to do it, haha!

It was awful, cause Koda and I had Chicken Express on the way there, and after we ran our first events, we both threw up. It was disgusting! At least Koda managed to hold it in before I got there, that way we could both look over and see the chunks of chicken flying out of each other's mouths. (I'm totally being sarcastic by the way.) And we still had to run the other two! We were miserable! And because I was so woozy from puking, I only got third in the 800. I was so pissed, I mean, come on, wouldn't you be!?

But that's not the worst thing that's happened, oh no, no. We found out my stepdad was cheating on my mom, and they're going to get a divorce this summer! That means I can't be Gangstalicious' sister anymore! And not to mention that I'll lose my stepbro, Karson! I cried for two days straight, but at least I still have six more weeks with them. Even if it is full of finals and hardcore raging parties that I really don't need right now.

Oh, and, apparently, I've been elected to join the NHS as their new vice president. Not that I have a flippin' choice, because according to the rules if more than eleven people elect you, you have to become a member of the National Honor Society. I'm currently getting petitions saying I'm too irresponsible while receiving paperwork for a club I DID NOT VOLUNTARILY JOIN! I've done everything to try and get them to leave me alone! Actually, I'm skipping a very important meeting as I type this. Thank God for Koda and his Dodge. Oh! And Starbucks, the perfect place to skip your teenage duties and just write your chapter with a mocha latte! I could not have done this without you guys!

Just to let you know, this chapter was incredibly hard to write and because I kept forgetting while I wrote, so there might be a lot of repetitive descriptions or mistakes. I'm real sorry, but I really did try! And I kept using the same words, so my bad. Not to mention it's wway to short! I'm really sick of softball, since we didn't even qualify for the district tournament! They say teamwork is important, but at this point, I just wish I could make everyone suck less. I kind of freaked out after Britanny missed a pop fly that could have tied us with Richardson. I threw my glove down on the ground and I told everyone I quit. But I know Coach isn't gonna let me, so I'm enjoying my minivacation while it lasts. Plus I tore my MCL again while trying to perform a jump serve after going on three tennis tournaments for our school, so I don't have to go to practice in an hour!

Ah, sweet, sweet laziness. I missed it, I really did. With all the drama in my life, I need this. Anyways, sorry for ranting. By the way, the quote I used for this chapter actually comes from one of my favorite books of all time! Come on! How can you not love classic literature? It's the culture that provides a structured reading capable of increasing your mind power. Not like Harry Potter. (Sorry HP fans, but I am an antiHarry girl all the way. I just don't see the point. Who cares about a bunch of creepy goblins or a British boy that can't even find himself a girlfriend? I'm just not really attracted to magical schools that don't have any teen drama or villains that pop up when it's convenient, sorry.) Just thinking about all the great backbones of our English enlightenment…I get strangely happy. Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, Lord of the Flies, Uncle Tom's cabin, oh I could go on forever! …(cough) Uh…sorry, you didn't see that. (Looks around shyly) I'm just gonna leave…enjoy!

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

_The Queen of Aces_

* * *

"Yea woman, thou sayest truly! Better had he died at once! Never did mortal suffer what this man has suffered. And all, all, in the sight of his worst enemy! He has been conscious of me. He has felt an influence dwelling always upon him like a curse. He knew, by some spiritual sense for the Creator never made another being so sensible as this he knew that no friendly hand was pulling on his heartstrings, and that an evil eye was looking curiously into him, which sought only evil, and found it. But he knew not that the eye and hand were mine! With the supersticion common to his brotherhood, he fancied himself given over to a fiend, to be tortured by frightened dreams, and desperate thoughts, the sting of remorse, and despair of pardon; as a foretaste of what awaits him beyond the grave. But it was the constant shadow of my presence! The closest PROPINQUITY of the man whom he had most vilely wronged! And who had grown to exist only by this perpetual poison of the direst revenge! Yea, indeed! He did not err! There was a fiend at his elbow! A mortal man, with once a human heart, has become a fiend for his especial  
torment!"

The character: Roger Chillingworth  
In, The Scarlett Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne.

* * *

Technically speaking, you can never make anyone feel the dimensions of your own pain.

There is no way you can make them cry all the times you wanted to, or make them want all the things you desired in fleeting moments. You cannot make them crave what you were suppressing all those years, or make them hear cruel words and force them to digest it the same way as you did. You cannot give them the nights when you could not sleep, or make them face every worry that has ever crossed your mind. You cannot take away the dreams that gave them hope because they are not the same. You cannot slip into their body and haunt their every move, bruising their tender subconscious with blow after blow of memories. It is nearly as impossible as cradling water, or surfing on a cloud.

Amy stood at a crossroad no one could see, staring into the distance with such a feeling of absurd confusion that it seemed unjustified to let it go unanswered. She seemed unable to comprehend what had just happened, as if the previous scene had moved too fast for her though all they had done was ramble on and on. As a whole, their conversation had not made sense, the idea of his words growing more idiotic with every second that passed by. The tears from her unexplainable and sudden despair were starting to dry, leaving her to find the world that he had managed to complicate in her hazy vision clouded by grief.

She recalled the look of his face, beaten though determined. The way he had almost smiled when she touched his shoulder, the feel of his lips as heavy and burdening as his senseless riddles. The wind blew unusually warm at that moment, the sky seeming too blue and the ground all around her as soft as quicksand. As she stared at the path he had taken, her head tilted, her nose scrunching as if she didn't realize what he had just said to her. Rouge and the twins just watched, not knowing what they should do, what to say. Naomi was clinging to Nathaniel's arm, peeking through her curls as if this reality was too sad, like this whole situation was painful for her. Rouge was biting her glossed lips, her eyelids lowering in pity for the pink hedgehog. Nathaniel just stared, caught between running to his mother and letting her heal on her own.

When she finally did speak, it was edged with disbelief. "He wants…" she paused, thinking it over once more. "He wants to die?" The words were almost too cold for her to speak, too strange and unworldly to ever be real. Her hands formed fists in the dirt, molding it until she pretended it was someone's hand. She thought of his words, the certainty and uncaring tone when he discussed his plan. To keep her safe no matter what. Taking a risk that was not even needed, almost as if he was looking for a reason. "But…" her words shook, compelled. "He said he was sorry…for…being…" She shook her head, bowing until she had her forehead rested on the back of her fisted hands. "He said…" And then there was the revelation, as hard and as unforgiving as stone. "He hasn't changed at all."

Rouge found it in herself to shake her head, approaching Amy with a caution that she believed would protect her. One arm grazed her back, sympathizing. "No, hon," she breathed to let herself be heard. "He's going to go and fight Tails so you two can be safe. So you can revive Ruby and then just go. Because…he doesn't care if he dies for you. He just cares about keeping you alive. You and those twins, that's all he cares about." She seemed to be repeating herself, emphasizing this one fact, trying to imbed it into Amy.

The moment she finished her sentence, Amy jerked upward in frustration before falling back down with all of her force, her fists crashing onto the earth with a sickening crash. The primitive scream that followed seemed to belong to a dying creature in a cursing unimaginative amount of hurt. She did this over and over again, pounding the ground until her hands twitched and uncurled, lying there in an injured mass as she screamed. Rouge cried out in shock, withdrawing her hand while she watched in horror. Amy began to throw her hands into the ground again, in a hysterical fit. The twins surveyed their mother quietly, their eyes wide.

Naomi continued to watch, her eyes filling with tears as she tightened her grip on her brother. "Mama…" She choked out, before she lifted her head to try and see the reaction of her twin. But to her great surprise, Nathaniel stood with an emotionless face and in his pupilless irises; Naomi could see the mirror reflection of their mom. The contorted image of her face, twisted in agony, the swollen abused regions of her hands striking the ground, all visible as if he was projecting the image in his own heart. Then Nathaniel sank his head down, his bangs masking the expression on his face. Naomi stared in awe, her mouth parting open in a gasp. She buried her face in his arm, not wanting to see anymore.

Rouge swallowed hard, not knowing what she could do for her old rival, caught between choices to make. She watched Amy lift her head up, but then as if someone had extinguished the flame of her anger; her body lurched as she fell sideways, her hair scattering all over the dirt like a soft place to land. Rouge reached towards her, concern burning away her pride. "Amy!" she called out, fear nearly cutting off her ability to speak. She crawled over to where she lay; taking the young heroine in her arms like she was the daughter she never got to be. "Oh Amy," Rouge whispered into her hair, trembling so hard that her body looked like it was experiencing the smallest of seizures.

Amy merely gave a shallow breath, suddenly too exhausted to fight anymore. "After all that," she was whispering, the light behind her eyes becoming dull. "And he…" With every blink her eyes seemed to lose color, the soul being drained out of her. "He still…" with that, she took another breath and curled into a ball so tight that it seemed like pure instinct. "He's doing it again," Amy mouthed, shaking her head. "He hasn't changed." She said again, while Rouge opened her mouth to speak.

"Amy, what are you talking about?" she asked, her colored eyelids lowering. "I don't understand…"

"What he's doing…" Amy filled in, as quiet as a breeze of wind after a hurricane. "Acting all depressed…saying he doesn't care…that's not my Sonic." The pain that settled over her heart almost too much to bear at this point. "I left him because he became someone else…you know," she explained. "I ran because I didn't like the man in front of me, who he was starting to become. Someone who didn't care…someone with no will…someone willing to betray us…someone with no personality…"

Rouge closed her eyes, fighting her own tears. She didn't dare tell her the truth. "But he loved you," she tried to manage with a strong tone. "He loved you so much, Amy. Just like he loves you now."

Amy jolted from her position, in a split second she was upright and in the face of the bat, challenging. "So what if he does?" she objected, nearly as monotone as Sonic had been. Her eyes slowly turned down, her voice fading. "If he's not the Sonic I fell in love with," she looked back up. "Then what does it matter?"

The entire universe stilled at her profound words. And poor bat had nothing to say, so Amy kept continuing.

"I fell in love with him because of all the things he used to be," Amy backed away from Rouge, sitting on her knees while tears caught on her dress. "Because he was stubborn, and cocky, because he never gave up even when the rest of us did. He was so incredibly prideful, never letting himself fall apart. He was strong, he always managed to make us smile…" her shoulders started to shake. "He wasn't…" her wounded hands upturning as if asking for something tangible. "He wasn't this…" she whispered, hanging her head. "I didn't ask for this…"

But then again, had she asked for children? Had she asked for her entire life to be flipped around? Had she asked for all of her friends to become her worst enemies? Had she asked for the right to kill them?

"It didn't matter that we were on the run." Amy confessed, letting the words come freely for the first time. "I was scared, but I was never doubtful. I knew that Sonic would keep us safe. And when we were together…I forgot about all of that bad stuff…" her throat began to swell, making all of her words sound coated with the thick voice of grief. "But then he changed. I had to leave, Rouge, I had to. If I left, if he didn't have to deal with all of these problems…I thought he could be himself again…" She let all of the thoughts come, not caring about their content. "And then I see him here today…and he hasn't changed…" she was trying hard to keep her cool, losing miserably. "He's the same and I can't ever get him back…"

The four animals were so caught up in the urgency of her sorrow that they did not even notice the woman who had been watching with teardrops forming, staring at Amy Rose as if she were the only person left in the world. Only when she let out a sob did everyone look up and see her standing there. At the knowing she'd been discovered her mouth parted open, as if she was about to start crying. But the one thing that came out of her mouth was the softest, sweetest sound, incapable of sadness. "Amy?"

Amy watched her face, as if she did not quite believe what she was seeing. She saw the same rounded cheeks, the caramel whiskey of those familiar eyes, the long rabbit ears marked with darker spots. "Vanilla?" she tried, her lips going numb as if the very name was poison. Slowly and with an air of affection, the mother rabbit gave the smallest smile as a confirmation, making the blessed numbness spread over her bones, into her veins. It gave her strength, the will she needed to stand up on her own, uncoordinated hands swiping away her tears in shame while the air still smelled as crisp as a fresh blanket of snow after an epidemic. Giving a few timid steps, Amy wondered if maybe she had just gone insane.

Rouge stood up behind her, equally as entranced. "Where's Ruby?" she muttered, her wings slightly curving as if trying to protect her from the words that might come. There was an uneasy moment before Vanilla turned her head to the tree she had previously been hiding behind; the smallest line of a form now visible as the wind rustled, pushing the bat toward her little girl. Aqua eyes widened, a peony of hope blooming over her heart. "Ruby?" she kept quiet, taking slow steps as her hand unfurled and became a bridge to connect them. She walked all the way over to her, taking in the image of her daughter with careful eyes. It was her, sleeping against the tree, skin pale but her happy smile still there.

"She's pretty." Nathaniel suddenly spoke up to everyone's shock. His stoic expression was broken by one of curiosity, continuing to stare at the sick little echidna. He saw the outline of her soft features, those straight locks of red that were nothing like his sister's. Or her skin equally as tan as his own, a companion used to the sun. His eyes cleared, a smile forming where his frown had been. "Can I go play with her, Mama?" he asked suddenly, urging as he looked at her. When she could not answer, still transfixed by the presence of Vanilla, he skipped on over to her, delighted. Rouge felt her heart race as she kept her eyes on the only person capable of saving her daughter, expecting a miracle.

Amy did not notice anything at all, not even on this earth anymore. When she finally did speak, she found herself timid and shy as if her grace had found its way back to her. "You're here," she whispered, her words coming out in the quietest of gasps. Vanilla did not have time to reply before the young mother had pounced with outstretched arms, tears glistening as she broke through the wall others had put to keep them apart. They found each other with ease, no jagged edges to cut them as they tried to fit together, the rabbit catching her friend before she even hit the ground and holding her so elegantly that one would think they'd been doing this forever. Amy was crying again, she could not help it. But she liked these tears, loved the taste they left in her mouth and the imprint they performed on their skin.

She did not mind crying this one time. As much as she'd done it over the years, out of regret, anger, sadness…within the past few months she'd sobbed almost too many times to be declared healthy. And yet she was urging herself to do it once more, as proof of how much she had missed the only adult involved in her past life. Before it had all happened, hadn't Vanilla been her adoptive mother? She wanted to give her the knowing that she had been missed, and how great it was to be here in her arms. There was a stroke of her hair, a hand running circles over her back gently. "You've gotten so beautiful," was all Vanilla said, as Amy buried her face into her chest. "I almost didn't recognize you. You look so grownup…"

"I didn't forget you," Amy whispered, twisting her hands into the dress to try and keep them together forever. "I thought about you all the time. I wanted to call you…to tell you…that I'm sorry…" With all the confessions, she wondered if maybe everything would turn out alright afterward. She thought of Cream, and found herself strangely proud. Her face went bright red with shame, her body fevering. "It's all gone so wrong," there was a weight against her heart. "Everything's messed up."

Naomi stepped forward, tugging on the dress of the older woman she did not know. "Hi." She spoke quietly, her eyes peering up in admiration while her little curls bounced, the ribbons decorating her headband swaying in the chilly wind. "I'm Naomi." She said intelligently, before pointing to the rabbit. "Are you my mama's mama?" She gave a light smile, enough to bring sunshine to their barren wasteland of feelings. Her arms extended, opening like an invitation. Vanilla looked at Amy for a minute, before the pink hedgehog pulled away, wiping her tears away as Vanilla bent over and picked Naomi up gently just like a mother should. She was about to tell the little darling that no, she was not Amy's mother, no matter how much she wished she was.

But at that moment, Amy joined them again, her voice passing over. "Yes," she told Naomi urgently, with a sense of joy. "She is my mama. She took care of me when no one else would." Her fingers fumbled over Naomi's cheek, a comforting gesture. Her quills seemed to be glowing, her skin made of light. Then she turned over to Nathaniel, only to see that he was bent over Ruby, shoulder-to-shoulder with Rouge. The little echidna gave a shuddering breath as her eyes crept open slightly, the pupils completely dilated and void of any color.

Amy watched her son scoot closer to her, curiosity overwhelming his perfect features. A specimen of perfect health though the other two children were not. His hands twitched as if he wanted to hold her, though the dimples of his smile were still present.

Then he caught sight of the curled shambles of her wings and turned to Rouge. "Can she fly?" he asked in awe, as Rouge gave a nod. He turned back to her and gave a chuckle. Ruby, as if she was in the state to understand, rolled her eyes over to the mysterious boy and gave a smile that was shy and breathtaking. Nathaniel saw this too, and to everyone's great surprise, his face became a palette of embarrassment, a blinding blush becoming all too obvious.

"My," Vanilla replied with an understanding grin. Amy wondered why she was feeling this spark of jealousy in her chest, why she wanted her son to stop stuttering at the girl and just revive her already. Naomi gave a frown, her eyebrows knitting down.

"Nathaniel!" she called out, only to be dumbfounded when her brother did not even notice. His eyes remained on Ruby, trying to form a smile like the one she had given him. But Ruby had closed her eyes, and everyone started to notice her breathing becoming shorter, weakening with each second.

Nathaniel raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with her?" he asked Rouge with a devastated tone as his bangs fell over his eye. "How come she's all sleepy?"

Seeing her chance, the jewel thief replied casually. "She needs you to wake her up." She uncurled her fists, showing the boy the wide regions of her palms. "Don't you have any special super powers? Any magic, to wake her up?"

Nathaniel's face suddenly became dark. "No." he nearly shouted, scooting away from them. "No magic. No powers. No anything, ever."

Amy realized what was going on and stepped towards them. "Nathaniel! This time, I want you to use your magic!" she gave a laugh. "This time, you actually need to."

Naomi nodded. "Or else she'll be sleepy forever!" she concluded, as her twin brother blinked. Then, the girl lowered her eyelids slyly. "I wanna meet your girlfriend too!"

"She's not my girlfriend!" Nathaniel screamed, his hands flying out, swatting at open air. Then in an instant he was calm once more, walking over to Ruby with certainty. "But I do wanna play with her." Though even as he said this, his face was cherry red.

He closed his eyes, hovering over the dying little echidna who at this point was really more of a mix and set his fingers over the rise of her belly. Had they not have been looking for it, they would have missed it. The spark of green lightning that was gone at the same moment it began, exactly what they needed to bring Ruby back.

Then, as Nathaniel pulled back to see his own powers unfold, everyone held their breath to wait for the results of cheating death, twice.

* * *

**_A/N: _**Hey, it's azngirlchibi. Wow, fanfiction sure has changed a lot. I haven't been here in a while (well, in the documents section, anyway) and... whoa, the new system is pretty messed. As in, cool, yet confusing. So yeah... and I know, I neglected answering reviews again. I'M SO SORRY! I really am, I know I keep saying I will answer you guys, but... I'm just so _busy! _I'm really, really sorry. If I could photograph my expression and send it all to you guys, I would. Except you might get sick from looking at the shady valleys under my eyes.

The Queen of Aces got this chapter to me about a week ago... (is about to explain excuses, when people start walking away) WAIT! DON'T YOU WANT TO HEAR ABOUT MY LIFE TOO?!

... OF COURSE YOU DO!

Anyways, our country (you should know which country I live in... right?) is having a music festival/competition, and little me was a part of it. YAY! I got first in one of my piano competition too, 'cause of all my practicing (see, people, practicing really DOES pay off!). Anyways, consider it lucky that I got this up now... I almost joined the flute competition and the singing competition too... then this thing probably would've waited another week. The only reason I didn't join flute was because we have to wake up at an ungodly hour of the morning just to practice, and for singing... well, let's just say I despise my teacher's... incompetence. I'm not kidding... she hands you your music, and goes, "Here, learn!" ... Or she teaches us off her extremely off-key piano. My ears hurt just thinking about it...

Oh, I also figured out I have five exams. Yeah, five freaking exams. Where's the fifth one from? Saturday foreign language school... (Sigh) At least I get the credit, I guess...

By the way, "To Kill a Mockingbird" is a very good book. Only reason why I didn't read it earlier was because... well, there's a lot of classics to pick from, y'know? I never got around to it. Anyways, it's way better than that "Lovely Bones" crap I had to go through. Sorry if anybody likes that book, but I can't believe one of the _professional reviewers _for that book actually put it in the same vein as "To Kill a Mockingbird." Harper Lee kicks the crap out of Alice Sebold any day.

Oh, and also, about Sonic fanfiction... WHY THE HECK ARE ALL THE STORIES ON THE FRONT PAGE ABOUT FANCHARACTERS GOING AT SHADOW'S CHEST FUR?! Honestly, what happened to variety? It was one of the reasons I deleted "A Canopy of Roses" in the first place, because it was starting to sound a lot like, "Bloodlust." Granted, they're not all "LOLZ! LET'S GO BE HAPPY 2GETHER, SHADZ!" but about 90 percent of it is! It wasn't always like this, but when I read complete bull crap like the brain-numbing things on the front page... I just... I just... (sobs). And no, I don't think it's necessary for me to got to the fiftieth page to look for a good story. C'MON, GOOD AUTHORS! STOP GOING TO GET LIVES! I know that the Sonic fandom is in shambles right now... BLAME YOUTUBE, GOSHDARNIT!

And in other, non-literary news, I can't freaking wait for Sonic RPG (the full name is too long to type...) to come out. I really just can't wait.

OHH! AND I FINALLY GOT BRAWL! Gimme F.C, please? I don't play much anymore, unfortunately, but it'd still be nice to practice - don't want my mad skillz getting rusty.

Just kidding.

Final note: If you're looking for a good Sonic sci-fi, read "In the Ashes of Mobius" by Rau866. Beautiful, poetic discriptions, a compelling world with rich history, and good general writing skills all around. And yes, there is a reason I'm plugging it - I'm beta-reading it. Heh. Honestly though, I'm not overplaying it or anything. I really had to dig to look for things to critique. SO GO READ IT!

Thanks for reading!

The Queen of Aces

azngirlchibi


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: **Happy Victoria Day!

(crickets chirp)

Yeah… another Canadian holiday ;; But at least I have the day off!

Anyway, have fun reading! I have a history essay to do… stupid history…

And please don't give me grief about using an Inuyasha quote. Please.

* * *

**Dedicated to Marianne**

* * *

"_It's something you had to learn. That when your heart wishes to save someone dear you… It must at the same time feel sadness and fear of losing them."_

_**Sesshomaru's Mother from "Inuyasha." **_

* * *

_azngirlchibi: I would also like to dedicate this chapter to the victims and their families and friends of the Sichuan earthquake, as well as the reviewers who have been calling for Amy's blood._

* * *

_"Happy birthday to you…"_

Someone was singing.

No, lots of people were singing. They were singing to someone… but it couldn't be to her. Not to Ruby. Ruby was sleeping, and you only sang lullabies to someone who was sleeping. But if they were singing "Happy Birthday," did that mean they were having a party without her? She couldn't miss a party. Parties were fun!

_"Happy birthday to you…"_

Ruby struggled to move a little, but her arms felt really heavy, and she couldn't even lift herself a little with her wings. Whose birthday was it anyway? She couldn't remember what date it was today, or even if it was morning or night.

Plus, it was really weird how nothing hurt now. She remembered something hurting her… but… now she was all better. All better…

_"Ruby… do you remember what day it is today?"_

The sudden voice made Ruby jump a little, but the voice was really warm and comforting… sort of like Momma's voice, but different. _"… Huh? Who're you?"_

Sharp, violet eyes flashed before her, along with a flutter of red dreadlocks. _"Ruby…"_

Ruby tried to talk. _"… Daddy?" _she managed to whisper.

_"Happy birthday to Ruby…"_

_"Daddy…?" _she asked again. _"Daddy… where you been? Is today my birthday?"_

A fuzzy shadow appeared, but she could see someone smiling at her. _"Yeah, Ruby." _A hand rubbed her head affectionately. _"I wanted to say 'Happy Birthday.'"_

_"Daddy…" _She grabbed his huge hands in her tiny ones, nuzzling it and inhaling deeply. _"Daddy… will you stay for my birthday?"_

_"Sorry, kiddo. I just wanted to tell you to wake up. You have a lot of people waiting for you to wake up for your party. Didn't Momma say something about giving you a big party this time?"_

Ruby nodded vigorously, excitement shining in her eyes. _"Yeah, Momma promised!" _But her excitement quickly died away. _"Daddy… will you come back and visit me soon?"_

_"Soon, Ruby, I promise. Just wake up, okay?"_

"Daddy…"

Her eyes flew open.

The singing suddenly stopped mid-way.

Ruby let her aqua eyes scanned the crowd, curiosity written all over her face. Weird! She couldn't name half the people crowded around her, but they all looked worried about her. But she was only sleeping, right?

So how come everyone looked so worried?

Her eyes caught the ones of her Momma's, and for a reason she couldn't understand, her image went fuzzy as her eyes got wet, like trying to stare at someone through frosted glass.

But then, someone jumped out. A really pretty looking girl with sickly-pale green quills, and a tiny body, as if she wouldn't be able to even survive a game of tag. But her arms were spread out wide and held out at her, like she was waiting to take her hands and pull her up. She was smiling widely, and her teeth gleamed as she sang the rest of the song:

_"Happy birthday to you!"_

Suddenly, Ruby was being buried with a flurry of hugs and kisses, bodies crushing down and knocking the breath out of her, laugher and sobs ringing through the air and into her sensitive ears.

And even though there were no toys, no balloons, no clown, no piñata, and she had no idea where she was, she couldn't help thinking that someone had just given her the best present ever.

* * *

Watching her son work miracles should've been enough for Amy.

As the children ran around, delighted at their newfound friends, Amy felt a pang of loneliness, even with so much life around her. She couldn't help feeling like a wilted weed in the middle of a field of towering sunflowers, looking up and wondering if they would ever notice the ugly little thing at their feet.

"Hey, Amy, wake up!"

Amy looked up, meeting Rouge's eyes. "Rouge?"

She smiled at her. "Hon, what's eating at you?"

Amy looked down at her boots, scuffing the grass uncomfortably with their toes. It was easy for _Rouge _to be so happy. And it wasn't like Amy herself didn't feel a tiny glimmer of happiness as Ruby delightedly showed off her flight skills… but… _'What's wrong with me?' _

Why did she feel like she was just reading a book and experiencing someone else's happiness? Why didn't she feel like she was truly happy from the bottom of her heart?

"You know, I find it funny that you're still here."

Amy stopped her shoes. "What are you talking about?" she muttered uncomfortably. She could see the answer coming…

"Shouldn't you be going after Sonic?"

The pink hedgehog inhaled deeply, blowing out a breath that made her bangs flutter. Of course Rouge would ask that. "Yeah… well…"

She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Amy, you have to stop running away now, don't you think?"

She looked up sharply, startling Vanilla. Too late, she tried to soften her gaze. "Sorry, Vanilla. I just… I can't go in. I can't."

Rouge rolled her eyes, surprising Amy. "Hon, I've been hanging around you for less than a few weeks, and I already know that there's nothing you _can't _do." She grinned at her slyly. "Besides, you can't let Sonic take all the credit, can you? It'd make a good story for when you're older."

Amy felt anger starting to fill her. Rouge's tone of voice…! "Look, there's no point, okay? He wants to _die! _I don't have any right to stop someone who _wants _to die!" She squeezed her fist. Her swollen knuckles were starting to bleed now, the blood staining through her gloves like rice paper, wet and warm through her fingers, the smell making her head spin.

"Amy, dear… If he dies, all the answers to your questions will disappear with him."

Amy's eyes widened, and she stared at the older woman. Her eyes looked down at hers tiredly. "You know… I disowned Cream when I found out that she was hunting you, Sonic, and the twins down." Leaves rustled, casting their wildly dancing shadows around the old rabbit's face. "I never bothered to ask her _why _she was hunting you down… or maybe it was because I didn't care." A few tears slid down her cheeks. "Maybe I was just as blinded as we all were… but either way, she's gone now, and I'll never get to ask." She took a deep breath, facing Amy squarely. "I don't want you to feel the way I do. I'm not asking you to rescue him. I'm asking…"

Amy suddenly placed a finger over Vanilla's lips. "Shush, Vanilla." She managed a small smile. "It's okay. I get it. I'll go ask him… I have a lot of questions I want answered."

Vanilla smiled back. She stepped away from the girl. "Take care," she said simply.

Amy forced another smile, before turning around and running through towards the jail, her steps thumping loudly.

Rouge and Vanilla watched her retreating back. "She really doesn't know anything, does she?" asked Rouge, sadness colouring her voice.

Vanilla shook her head. "If only we could've explained to her… but she wouldn't believe a word of what we'd have to say."

The bat huffed. "That Sonic has better watch it… or it might really be the end of the world."

Vanilla turned to Rouge, laughing lightly. "I think Sonic can handle her."

Rouge joined the rabbit's laughter. "Say, how about you and me spend what may possibly be the last few minutes until the end of the world with the kids?"

Vanilla nodded. "I guess we really can't do anything else, can we?"

Rouge shook her head. "Our part is done. Let's hope they'll finish theirs too."

* * *

_'Depressing…' _Sonic thought as he ran through the jail that was falling apart.

He tried to concentrate on the _tmp, tmp, tmp, _of his feet on the metal flooring, but found that if he looked down, he could see how the floors were starting to ooze with… with… _something _that was an unpleasant shade of green-brown. But he knew that if he dared to look up, he would see the tiny prisons that must've once held thousands of people squashed together until their faces were pressed right up against the bars. The broken lights and swinging wires did nothing to lighten the mood.

Sonic shuddered, before taking a right. He had been here… once. But it was in the building that Tails had built and attached to this jail, where he had thousands of different machines whirring – a constant hum that drowned out the screams of the ghosts that still existed behind the bars.

Finally, he opened a door.

This room was huge and welcoming compared to the jail. There was no roof, so it seemed like the whole building itself went on and on until it touched the soft, twinkling stars in the night sky. The machines were dead silent. Some looked like they had been turned off at the last moment – Sonic could see a tiny robot with its arms lifted up and reaching for something on a shelf, only to be frozen before it could finish its task.

Sonic stepped inside, the door still swinging wide open.

_Bang!_

Before Sonic could do anything else, bars slid down from nowhere, blocking his way out. He grabbed at the bars without thinking, pulling as hard as he could – but he was no Knuckles, and the bars merely grinned at him like a beast showing off its sharp, black teeth.

Sonic slowly turned around.

"Tails?" he called, cautiously.

Nothing answered him back.

He scanned the room, his body tense. "Tails!" he called, louder this time.

_"Subject identified: Sonic the Hedgehog. Now playing recording."_

The cool, female voice almost made Sonic jump out of his skin. He breathed out – he was way too nervous.

_"Hey, Sonic and Amy. What took you so long? Well, I'm probably not in right now… Anyway, I'll be down as soon as I can. And please don't try to get out. There's an electric grid over the roof, so don't even think of trying to climb your way out. You can't turn anything in the room on without the master switch either. Enjoy your last few hours together!"_

_Bleep._

Sonic raised his eyebrow at the ending. _'He thought Amy and I would be together…' _He sighed. Well, there was one more cheerless victory to add to his list.

_"Sonic!" _someone hissed loudly.

Sonic turned around, and his eyes widened in horror. "Amy?!" He rushed towards the barred exit, squinting in the darkness and praying he was wrong.

He wasn't.

"What are you _doing _here? How did you even get _in _here?" he hissed back, pressing as closely as he could against the bars, the cold iron cutting marks into his skin.

Her large, green eyes glared up at him. He grimly registered that she wasn't as short as she used to be, and she didn't had to crane her head up to look at his face. "I was here once before too, remember?"

Sonic flinched. _'Yeah, seeing as I was the one who got you in here in the first place…' _"Well, why are you here?"

She chewed on the bottom of her lip, mulling something over. "I… I have some questions."

Sonic groaned. "So you came into the building of a potential _maniac _just so you could ask me some _questions_?"

She huffed. "You should've given me some time to ask!"

Sonic growled, realizing that they were wasting their time arguing. "Fine. I'll answer _one _question, and then, you have to leave! Tails could be down here any minute!" He crossed his arms, tapping his foot impatiently. He needed her to get out of here.

"…" Amy gripped the bars with one of her hands.

"… Hey, Amy… what've you done to your hand?"

Amy blinked. "What…?" She took her hand off, her eyes widening as she stared at her knuckles, as if she had just realized that they were painfully bruised. Dried, caked blood fell away in flakes as she rubbed it softly. "It's… it's nothing, I…"

Sonic's eyes narrowed into glowing green slits. "Don't '_nothing' _me. Did Tails do something? Did one of his machines…. Or…"

"Sonic, forget about my hand for a second and answer my question." Her gaze was steely on his. "Sonic… I need to know… that day, when you… you _sold _me," she spat the word out, "to Knuckles… Why did you do it?"

Sonic visibly shrank. _'One question, and she asks the hardest one.' _"Amy, I can't answer that question."

"Why?!" she burst out. "Did you just do it for _fun? _Or did you just decide to switch sides? Did the twins not _matter _to you anymore?" All the anger buried over that one incident erupted out of the grave that she had forced them under, and she could feel white-hot hatred running through her body.

"Amy…"

She stopped. "What?" she growled.

"Amy… Knuckles caught me. With the twins."

She froze.

Sonic closed his eyes, reliving the horror of that day. "He had me chained up on the floor… I guess he was really just distracting me. Shadow… he was the one who was really supposed to threaten me, I suppose." He shuddered. "He had Naomi in his arms… and… and a _knife_," he choked. "…a _knife _under her throat. And he gave me a choice: Either I told him where you were, or Naomi… Naomi's blood would be on his hands. So I… so I…" He spluttered to a stop.

"So…you told them where I was. You told them… so you could save the twins…" Amy finished softly for him. She felt her shoulders shaking. She had been harboring this hatred for what seemed like forever… and that was the reason he betrayed her? She nearly crumbled into a heap. _'It was so simple… if only I had tried to see…'_

"I… I was a fool too," Sonic continued. "I thought that I could save the twins… and then save you too. But you were suddenly _there _with that gun in your hands…" Sonic seemed to scramble for the words. "I guess I froze up. And you looked like you wouldn't listen to a word I say… so I… I don't know…"

_"Why did you lie to me?!" _

Sonic's mouth dropped open. "What?"

Amy's lip trembled, and tears ran freely down her face. She wiped them angrily, and tears smeared across her cheeks. "Why didn't you just tell me? Why didn't you tell me _earlier?_ I might've… I might've…" _'I might've not spent all this time hating you! I might've not spent all so much time running away like… like a coward!'_

"After we left, I was going to tell you… but you ran away." Sonic's eyes shadowed with pain. "You left with the twins… and I figured I would just finally leave you alone. I would just stop being with you. I mean…" She felt him touch her cheek softly from around the bars, but she felt too weak to move away. "You seem to always cry the most when you're around me."

Amy pulled herself away from him. "Of course I cry the most when you're around me!" she yelled. Sonic stepped back in bewilderment, but Amy suddenly found the strength to be angry. "You're… you're always so _selfish! _You were always so sad… so depressed…" Her shoulder shook, her bangs soaking in her tears. "And then… and then you decided that you would go off and _die!_"

"How many times do I have to repeat myself? I'm only doing it so you guys don't die!" Sonic yelled back.

"Did you ever think that I don't want you to die?"

Sonic stared at her, stunned. "… Amy?"

Amy's cheeks were red from fury. "Yeah, that's right. I don't want you to die!" She swallowed hard. "I… I didn't even figure that out until just this moment…" she said, much quieter this time. Admitting it cost her.

She continued, holding onto the bars again and looking at Sonic dead in the eyes. "It's just… it's just hard to admit that I don't hate you after I've hated you for so long…" The words stung her. _'I don't hate you…' _So then, what _did_ she feel?

"…" Sonic looked away from her, towards the twinkling stars in the sky. "… Heh…"

Amy was startled. "What?"

He laughed at her. "Selfish? _Me? _Nice."

Amy's eyes narrowed into slits. "What are you talking about?"

"You're telling me I'm selfish." Sonic looked down at her coolly. "And yet, you were the one who's been running away from me the whole time."

That stung. "That was because…"

"Because of what?" Sonic cut her off. "You know what? When you left, I had a lot of time to think. And I came to a conclusion about you – you're the most selfish brat I've ever came across. Not only did you abandon us all, but you've never considered anyone else's feelings." Sonic's knuckles whitened around the iron rods. "Yes, I was sad. Yes, I was depressed. So what? You left me because I was just a little imperfect. When I kissed you on the plane, when I showed you my one moment of weakness, you _freaked. _Is imperfection too beneath you to accept?"

Amy could do nothing but listen, too stunned to retort.

Sonic grounded his teeth together, as if trying and failing to keep back his torrent of words. "Sure, I'm a hero to millions around the world, but I still feel emotions. You used to chase me everywhere because you said that I was the love of your life, but when I left you alone on the road, you would cry your heart out. Now that I'm showing you a little bit of affection, you reject me. Is this your idea of revenge, Amy? Or is it that… now that you've caught me, you have no idea what to do?"

Sonic was breathing hard now. "You know, when I was still a kid, I did think of what it would be like with you. I thought that I would be the one to protect you from everything on the world, and you would be the one to help me when I was hurting, or some romantic shit like that."

"Stop it already!"

Sonic wrestled with his mouth for a moment, before falling silent. He leaned back slightly, having said his piece.

"Fine, Sonic. I admit it. I've been a bitch." Amy looked away from him. She had no idea how much his words could hurt. Now that she thought about it, she had only ever let his annoyance at her bounce off like rocks thrown at a brick wall. She had never had to be on the receiving end of his fury – in fact, when was the last time he'd gotten mad? "I… to tell you the truth, I'm new to this… this… this _love _thing." Even saying the word felt strange. "I never thought… I never thought it'd be like _this! _I never thought we'd be running for our lives!" Amy's fingers lost their grip on the barrier separating the two of them, and fell with a dull _thump _to her side. "I never thought that… that it'd be so… so…"

Sonic looked down at her. "Amy." There was no sympathy in his voice.

She managed to look at him. "What."

"It's okay to admit it, you know."

"Okay… to admit what?" she asked.

"It's okay to admit that you're scared." Sonic's fingers lightly touched her shoulder through the bars. "To tell you the truth, I've been scared from day one."

Amy's breath caught. His expression… why was it suddenly so open now? He looked so frightened, his eyes as round as a child's in the dark. Amy fought with herself for a moment. "… Sonic… what would happen if I admitted that?"

"I would help you if you let me," Sonic answered simply.

"What if I didn't let you help me?"

"That would depend on if you trust me." Sonic leaned a little closer to her. "Amy, you've changed… a lot. And I'm not saying that it's all bad." His fingers squeezed her shoulder a little harder. "But I know that you're scared. I know that you're as scared as I am. And if you let me… I want to be the one who saves you."

She closed her eyes. _'Just say it, then,' _she thought to herself. _'Sonic, I'm scared.'_

'_Sonic, I'm scared.'_

_'Sonic, I'm scared.'_

"Sonic, I'm scared. I'm really scared. I don't…" she choked up. "I don't want you to leave me…" She gathered a shuddering breath. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry!"

For the first time in a long while, she let herself collapse in his arms. A part of her kept saying that this was wrong… She couldn't show weakness in front of him! She couldn't cry in front of him! She couldn't let herself break in front of him! She had to move!

_'Later…' _she answered herself, letting the sobs wrack through her body, his arms holding her sides so tightly that she could barely breathe. _'I'll move later…Or maybe… maybe I'll never move from here…'_

* * *

**A/N: **There, people. You wanted Amy's blood, you got it.

Anyways, I wanted to talk a little bit about why I started the chapter the way I did. See, I was watching the news about the Sichuan earthquake (over twenty thousand dead, missing, or wounded… and the numbers are still going up), and I saw the rescue workers bringing out this poor little girl from under the rubble. The rescue workers found out that the day of the earthquake was the girl's birthday, so they all started singing "Happy Birthday" to her to wake her up, and the girl started moving a little after a while. I don't know how she's doing now, but I that was how I got the idea to start the chapter the way I did. It's sort of like a memento.

Oh, and I'm really sorry for not getting to read all your fics. I usually don't get many requests to read, though I do offer, but suddenly, five people asked me to read their stories (Yes, that's a lot to me!)… I have three down, and two to go, so if you're one of the two who requested but still haven't heard from me, I'll get to it ASAP. And by "ASAP," I mean, if I ever survive this history essay.

Thanks for reading! And hallelujah, I finally got around to answering reviews Sorry, I didn't do the ones from the previous chapter I've missed…

**Anonymous Reviews:**

**Hikaru za Kitsune: **Aww, thanks a bunch! We're not trying to crush anyone's spirit, but what's a story without a bit of drama? Heh, darn the stupid review button. You know, after you finish reading, there should be a button that pops up and goes, "CLICK ME AND REVIEW, OR ELSE!" I think a lot of writers will be happy if that ever happens XD Oh, and I saw the thing about this "Dexter" fella being Amy's boyfriend. Personally, I think Amy's just bluffing to see if Sonic reacts… I mean, SEGA wouldn't let the franchise get that bad (conveniently forgets about Elise and Sharhra), so let's just cross our fingers and hope for the best. Thanks for reading!

**Kia hedgie: **Whoa, pulled an all-nighter? Honored. Hmm… I don't think it would be possible to use the poems. Just because it might or might not fit the overall mood of the chapter, you know. And you don't have an account, and you can't post stories or poems as reviews. Sorry 'bout that. Thanks for reviewing!

**kitsunepowaa: **I KNOW, I'M SO EXCITED FOR THE GAMES! Though as I've said before in another comment, "I wonder if I'm a fool for getting excited." A lot of people were hyped about Sonic '06… and look at what happened to that (Not trying to insult you or anyone who enjoyed that game, by the way). I have high hopes for Sonic RPG and Sonic Unleashed, so I hope SEGA does a good job this time! Thanks for reading!

Thank you all for taking your time to go through this story!

_The Queen of Aces_

_azngirlchibi_


	29. Chapter 29

**_A/N:_** Hey there! This is Aces back from the hospital and I have one thing to say:

The following quotes are dedicated to the most important little girls and boys in my life: Baby Mac, Sadie (my oldest sister's baby girl born three days ago), Emily (my best friend's baby that hasn't been born yet), and you too, Nathaniel Oliver and Naomi Rose-Mary.

But a special thanks to azngirlchibi, who helped me fix this chapter and will take my secret to the grave.

* * *

"A little girl can be sweeter (and badder) oftener than anyone else in the world. She can jitter around, and stomp, and make funny noises that frazzle your nerves, yet just when you open your mouth she stands there demure with that special look in her eyes. A girl is Innocence playing in the mud, Beauty standing on its head, and Motherhood dragging a doll by the foot."

"Boys are found everywhere -- on top of, underneath, inside of, climbing on, swinging from, running around or jumping to. Mothers love them, little girls hate them, older sisters and brothers tolerate them, adults ignore them and Heaven protects them. A boy is Truth with dirt on its face, Beauty with a cut on its finger, Wisdom with bubble gum in its hair and the Hope of the future with a frog in its pocket."

-Alan Marshall Beck

* * *

The first time Naomi saw The Star, she was dreaming after a fainting spell.

She had been floating inside her own mind like a thought too resistant to be forgotten, and watched her brain unfold like two halves of a walnut that were marked with its edges. How small she felt then, staring at the one thing that kept her alive, that enabled her to speak and play. It was like staring at the sky, at the stars, and realizing just how big the universe really was and in turn discovering how miniature _you_ were. She had traced the lines of it, marveled at the newfound knowledge that her brother was not the only one who was marked for life.

The Star was always growing; she began to see it more frequently as the years passed, until she saw it every time she closed her eyes. The Star would generate thunder, so when she closed her eyes too tight, she could see the bolts extending and forming shapes. Mama said it was bad for her eyes to do that, but she didn't understand that it wasn't her _eyes _at all, it was her _brain. _It was the reason why she couldn't run as fast as everyone else, or why her legs always felt like jelly. When she could not breathe and her skin was on fire with fever, it was always The Star.

She quietly followed her brother and his new playmate, trying to keep up with them without making her chest hurt like it often did. She couldn't bear to complain, for the look on her brother's face was enough to make them both happy. He had a crazy grin etched on his face to accompany the glow that made him look radiant, the girl with the wings playfully tickling him. Curls bouncing, she diligently ran after them with persistence, her little shoes soundless as they hit the ground. Her bow rustled like her baby blue dress, reminding her of the times Mama took them both to the ocean.

She wished she had brought her seashell, the one that was all spirally and was the color of her mother's quills. She always liked the way it sounded when she put her ear up to it, that hollow feeling, the utter loss of sound. It didn't remind her of the noisy ocean, with its crashing waves, but it was nice all the same. When it was just them at the beach, it didn't matter that she couldn't hardly run without losing her breath, or staying out too long would make her sick the next day. Because her brother and her mother were always there, holding her hand, making her forget about The Star.

She tripped, landing hard on the floor with a quick yelp. She lay there for only a second before she felt familiar hands helping her up. She didn't have to look to know it was her brother, and she couldn't help it when tears came to her eyes. She began to cry, pulling her brother closer. "I want Mama," she cried so urgently that it took her by surprise. Nathaniel flinched, and sorrow immediately took over his features. She felt bad, she knew Nathaniel loved his mother just as much as she did, but the desire to have her mother hold her was almost too much.

Suddenly Miss Rouge was at their sides, trying to pull her away. She felt Nathaniel's anger spike, and cried harder. The rabbit lady gave them a look, her hand coming out to stroke the sides of Naomi's head. "Now, now," she talked to them like they were incapable of understanding. "Amy will be right back. She has to go find your daddy." Miss Rouge, the one who had brought on all this mess by showing up and making them come on this journey, tried to hold her. "That's right hon, she'll be right back. She had to go find Sonic. You know, your father."

At this, Ruby stared at Nathaniel. "I thought you said," she tried. "That you didn't have a father."

Naomi wondered what they were talking about. Were they talking about that blue hedgehog? The one who had kissed their Mama and then run off? He wasn't their father! Naomi knew he was Amy's friend, and that she loved him, but he was not their father. If so, why wasn't he there all those times she got horribly sick? And the times that Nathaniel's magic hurt him so bad that their Mama had to stay with him all night, rubbing his raw hands and singing lullabies to soothe his sobbing? Naomi knew they'd met him somewhere, she knew that that blue hedgehog used to be with them. But what did that matter now?

If he took her away, it was obvious he was nothing more than an enemy. Naomi knew that their mother would never leave them without a fight. Had she been taken right before their eyes? She hated this, hated Miss Rouge and Ruby and The Star for making her head hurt. Why couldn't things just be the way they were? With the three of them, always together, making adventures, saving each other. She crumbled as Nathaniel hugged her tighter, sharing the same thoughts.

Finally, she heard her brother reply, his words vibrating from his skin onto her own. Like The Star, a pain to share. "We don't."

* * *

This is what Nathaniel thinks a mother is supposed to do.

They are supposed to stay awake with you all night when you're sick, rubbing your back like they might be able to breathe for you. They're supposed to listen to what you have to say and give you attention when you need it the most, but then when you don't want to be touched, they're supposed to leave you alone. It is their duty to throw you into a freezing pool when you can't decide when to go; to let you imagine a better place when the one around you gets too bad. But most of all, they are supposed to have cool hands to check when your sister has a fever, they are supposed to smell like home and love you a little more each day.

He has witnessed Amy do all of these things, and more. He has watched her capture fireflies in a jar when Naomi was scared of the dark, so she would have a nightlight that didn't need electricity. He'd seen her turn into a fairy princess for his sister's stupid pretend games, and then become a scary monster when he needed someone to chase him. She was always at every doorframe, singing every lullaby, tightening every loose guitar string, easing every ache brought on from his magic.

And at night she told their story like she could see it playing out right in front of her eyes. "It was the coldest day I'd ever seen," she always started dramatically to get their attention. "And I was piling the snow out of my yard when I saw you two there." She illustrated this by cradling air, a smile painted on her face. "The moment I saw you guys, I knew you were mine. You were made for me, and I was born to love you." She always said that part so sternly, as if they would ever forget of her never failing adoration. "That's when I started believing in fate." And then, his favorite part. "The moment you guys stared at me I knew everything else didn't matter. All I had lived for was so I could be lead to you. I realized that I was a part of a plan, and my purpose in life was to be your mother."

But lately she had been fading away, after meeting Miss Rouge and The Man Who Wanted to Use His Magic; she kept trying to distance herself from them. And when that blue hedgehog that was always on television showed up, his mother became a crying, whiny teenager who had just run off without them. He didn't understand, what had happened to the woman who gave him a flurry of kisses daily and always seemed to be lost when he wasn't right beside her? Who devoted hours to making him smile and held him like he was a star in the palm of her hand. He wasn't stupid; he knew exactly what he was to Amy. A light, hope, salvation, things no one could live without.

He went cold from the inside out, making his sister tremble in his arms. What would happen to her without him and Naomi? He tried to see her just leaving them and saw her falling apart like she had hours before. They were her fire, her life; she couldn't get far without them. Paranoia burned through his mind until he couldn't close his eyes without a bad scenario reeling on in his thoughts, and he became raw with fret.

Naomi clutched onto him with the understanding of a true twin. "We have to go find her," she whispered. "Before something happens. I've got a bad feeling."

He felt Ruby's frown as she too held onto him, making the already buzzing bees in his belly go into frenzy. "Are you going to leave?" she asked, face pressed against his back. "I don't want you guys to leave." She admitted while Nathaniel glanced back at her. Ruby just didn't get it, didn't understand what it was like to love this way. To where you began to die in degrees when you were not together, to fight against everyone just to save her from her own self. "Your mama's coming back. Stay with me, it's my birthday."

Nathaniel swallowed past the lump in his throat. "We have to go find her," he decided. "Our mama needs us." But by then Miss Vanilla and Miss Rouge were blocking their way with no-nonsense looks on their faces. The green hedgehog gave a snort and held onto his sister tighter. He didn't care about them since his magic would fix them if they didn't move. Fury clouded his mind and turned the edges of his odd eyes white. Naomi bristled, angered and provoked.

Miss Rouge bent over them, hands on Naomi's shoulder, attacking the weaker sibling. "Your mother's fine. She went to go talk to your…I mean, the blue hedgehog." The bat phrased carefully as Naomi tore away from her touch and jumped behind her brother out of spite. Her colored eyelids lowered in seriousness. "You don't know the whole story. She needs to do this, to talk to that blue hedgehog and the bad man who wants to use your powers. She needs you to stay here and be safe, because right now she needs this."

Nathaniel hated the bat more with every word she spoke. "No," he contradicted with the conviction that only children possess. "Our mama needs us. Just us, only us." His hands formed fists while Ruby backed away out of confusion. "Because she was born to love us," he recited with all the pride in the world. "We're _hers._ We were made for her." As he stood his ground, Naomi slipped her hand into his own and gave it a squeeze. It was enough to make him smirk. "Mama doesn't love anyone more than us, not even that blue hedgehog." he kept repeating the things he knew were true. "So get outta my way."

Vanilla felt her heart clench. Her own daughter had never been like that, never so sure of the affection that was her right. And yet these toddlers were proof of an unearthly love that was past reason and sense and reality. It hurt Vanilla to know that Amy loved two children that weren't even hers more than she herself had loved her flesh and blood baby girl. She tried to calm them down, words coming out with thought and caution.

"Listen," she explained. "Back when you were babies, your mama did a lot of bad things to people. She thought you guys were in danger and she hurt the friends that she was in a fight with, you understand?" As they started walking, she began to cry for no apparent notion at all. "She has to say she's sorry. For doing all those bad things when she heard you guys were in trouble, okay? Okay, little ones?" But they ignored her, kept trudging on.

The two women kept their distance, aware of what the little boy would do to them if they interfered. Rouge tried to add on to Vanilla's words. "If you guys don't stop, she'll never be able to say she was sorry. And she'll lose her friends. Because everyone wants her to say she's sorry."

As her sentence ended, the two mystical prophecies turned to her and coasted to a stop. But their looks were not one of ease. Naomi spoke first, unnaturally bold. "She doesn't have to say she's sorry to anyone." she enforced with a fierce tone, knowing anywhere the sound of hope regained. "If she did those things, because she loved us," she took a moment before beginning to head towards her doom. "Then why is it bad at all?"

* * *

Here's what I want to say to you.

I didn't run away from the kiss because it showed your imperfection, back on the plane. No, that's not it at all. I ran because at the moment, covered in my own daughter's blood like a reminder of the curse laid upon us, I was the farthest thing from a perfect woman. Do you have any idea what it's like to have to convince someone to love you all the time? To have to worm yourself into someone's mind just so they'll think of you every now and then? To chase someone around for hours so you can rightfully say you were a part of their day? I will never on my life wish that kind of life on anyone, because it involves having your hopes shattered almost every day until they notice you for what you truly are. It takes endless tears just for them to realize what you could be involving their future.

I ran because I was scared, which I've already admitted to but for the wrong reasons. I was scared that you'd see me, pathetic in the face of danger, looking like hell, and discover that I was nothing special at all. I ran back home because I thought that my absence would turn your doubts into thoughts of love and yearning. That you would have a hard time with the twins and realize just how much we both did together. Not just me, but you too. I ran because in the face of my grandmother I found that history was not meant to repeat itself. That grief is inevitable, but suffering is optional.

Even as you're holding me I won't say this out loud. You have your views on me and what's happened, and I have mine. Who's to say either of us is right or wrong? What if truth, like happiness, is all about perception? Then we'll go around this circle for years and only be killing ourselves. In order for us to heal, we have to make sacrifices. So for now I'll tell you you're right without a doubt, and demean my decision so you can feel some shred of justice. It's been so long since I've denied myself for you, and smothered my stubbornness for the sake of your own pride. There are things I will never admit, things I will never bring into the light. But you know that's really not such a bad thing. It's okay to have secrets when lying is the only way to truly make amends.

Speaking of secrets, I've been thinking about the secret you told me; about the decision you had to make. Giving my location away in return for my daughter's life, and in the short unconditional version, choosing Naomi over me. How you let me believe you had simply grown tired and betrayed us all, thinking you would repair all the damage later. Acting like you just didn't care so you could pull a surprise move and save us all. My whole life has been about my reaction to that now, the way I killed all the obstacles in my path to get to my son and my baby girl. I've thought about that every day of my life and I have to say I'm really not sorry for it.

What in the world am I supposed to be sorry for? For not letting that monster Tails use them as lab rats? For refusing to give them up to someone who was bound to hurt them? At the time, I still believed you were the one who had put them in danger.

Was I supposed to let you tag along? Was it wrong to naturally protect the only loved ones I thought I had left? You blame me for running away, but now I blame you for letting me. If you knew, why didn't you say something? When I saw those marks on their arms, I knew you couldn't be a part of my life anymore. But you want an apology, so I'll give you a fake one. I'll tell you I'm a bitch, let you have your moment. I guess you deserve it whether it's real or not.

I won't tell you that life was easier with you gone, that being the only one the twins adored was wonderful. I won't tell you the days I felt happy, but instead, the days I cried. Oh I missed you, I don't care what I have to lie about to stay by you. Because you're warm and you smell like pine and you still make me weak in the knees. Because your fur is more blue than any colored crayon in Naomi's coloring book and because your eyes are more green than Nathaniel's shiny rubber ball. Now that I know you're no enemy, I won't ever let you go. I may not be sorry for acting like a mother, but I am sorry I forgot the part of me that wasn't.

But now you have my oath, Sonic the Hedgehog. I'll try not to ruin anything else; I'll try and keep us together this time. Because with your falsely lead anger and the secrets I'll always keep, all the power is evened out between us. For now, I'm just content with feeling your heart soften underneath my touch. I pull back to look at you and managed to move my face through the bars to meet your lips, laughing inside at the dimple that forms when you grin. I cover my mouth with that too, lost in the feeling of falling into your smile.

* * *

**_A/N: _**azngirlchibi here. Sorry 'bout the delay, but there were a few things that needed to be ironed out. And plus, it's exam week. You lucky bastards that already started summer vacation are so... well, lucky. You have no idea how much I envy you right now DX

Still love you all, of course XD

Oh, and happy belated anniversary of this story. We're know quite a few days passed (four, exactly), but what the hey, right?! And I was going to say a long, long speech about how wonderful it is to be writing this story, especially with The Queen of Aces, and how we couldn't have done it with all you readers, and the usual yadda yadda, but let's leave that to the last chapter, shall we?

**READ THIS BEFORE YOU REVIEW!: **Okay, about this chapter... Before we get any backlash for this, turn off the computer, walk away, come back, and read it again (or at least digest it some more). For some of you, this might be the "need to read twice" sort of chapters. We know that we will never completely have everyone's agreement on this, and some of you might not... exactly like this chapter. Take a deep breath and remember that the story is not over yet. Lots can happen (even with the end looming near). I would like to ask that you don't give your first opinion on this chapter. It's not that I think your opinion will necessarily change with some time to digest, but take it from me - this is definately a "need to read twice" sort of chapter (three times for me, actually), before you really get a sense of the brilliant ideas behind it (which Aces gets all the credit for... I hardly did any ironing XD). I'm not saying that it needs to be a nice review... but really think about this chapter before you say anything. Please.

Now I shall leave you with a delightfully random quote:

English teacher: "I don't believe in cards. Cards are Satan's work. Now shut up so we can watch this movie about the Devil!"

If you guys can't tell yet, studying for exams (FOUR EXAMS, DAMN IT!) has totally fried my brain. Now it's slowly leaking out. Excuse me while I go and study some more...

**_Anonymous Reviwers:_**

**Atlantic-wolf: **You're not anonymous, but you're here anyway :D You'll probably have to wait just a teensy bit longer for that. You can be sure that when Tails arrives, hell will break loose XD Thanks for reading, and sorry about not replying earlier (but you get to be in the anonymous reviews section! Yay you!)

**kitsunepowaa: **Yep, since Sonic Unleashed will run on the "Hedgehog engine" (which they were apparantly developing for... four years, I think?), we can only hope it'd be better. I mean, SEGA doesn't entirely suck... they just rush things too much (like a certain hedgehog we all know and love). Oh, and I'm not too worried about Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood (ugh, we really need an abbreviation for that). Bioware is a really good developing company - the only worry I have about the game is that it won't feel like a "Sonic game" but like an RPG that Sonic just happens to be in. They need to stop changing the way Sonic looks... first he was fat, then skinny, then he was brightly coloured, then his eyes were a different shape, THEN he looked like he was pissed off all the time in Sonic '06. Did you know that they change the way he looks slightly in EVERY SINGLE GAME?! ... Sorry, I'm ranting now. Thanks for reviewing!

**kia hedgie: **Hmm... well, if you could give me the site, I could take a look at it. Viruses are such a pain, though DX LOL, every time I talk, I sound like I'm promoting myself (though I don't mean to, honest!). Big words are good! It's so much fun to confuse people XD Thanks for reading!

**Cake the Crab: **(blushes) Thanks! You should've seen my face when I was reading your review XD In fact, there was a mirror beside me, so I can send you a mental picture! (concentrates really hard, but then sees science textbook and sends a picture of an otter instead). Finishing it in June? As much as I would like to say otherwise, not a chance in hell XD I know, blunt, but I have exams (I've been saying that word way to much lately...), and well... spending all summer locked up in the house typing fanfiction? No thanks, as much as I love writing. I'm not trying to be mean, of course, in case you think I am... Sorry about the grammar errors... no matter how much I read through it, I can never catch them all. And the computer never catches it (sigh). No one else in my house is fluent in English (except my brother, but the chances of him reading fanfiction equals the chances of this story finishing in June). I'm a SonAmy freak too! (shows off SonAmy shrine) Anyway, thanks for reading!

_The Queen of Aces_

_azngirlchibi_


	30. Chapter 30

**_A/N: _**Hey, this chapter is finally released! Sorry about the delay... (geez, I'm always apologizing for this!), but... well, to be honest, I wanted to write something with Nathaniel and Naomi in it, but I couldn't, so in the end, I wrote something different. So if anyone is looking forward to some little children kawainess, you're not gonna find it today.

Also, I gave myself mild food poisoning. I cut open a bad mango, then, FORGETTING TO WASH THE KNIFE, proceeded to cut, and eat, a "good" mango. Yeah, that's right. Aces injures herself doing wild, awesome stunts, and I injure myself through stupidity. I am so smart XD

Enjoy the chapter! Oh, and yeah, there's such a thing as "Canadian Idol." I like to compare Canada-United States relationships to Sega-Nintendo relationships. We come up with good stuff, but then screw it up by trying to copy others (badly).

I still love you, Canada!

* * *

_**And can't you see it everywhere  
The moment is alive  
So why don't you  
Shine, cause I've been waiting for you to try  
Set your sights high  
And elevate yourself to the sky  
Just rise and shine.**_

_"Shine" lyrics by Brian Melo, Canadian Idol winner_

* * *

_'Amy, I love you.'_

Sonic smiled as her warm lips pressed against his, as she laughed and cried and shouted at him for making fun of her all at once.

_'No matter how much I start hating you, I go right back to square one. This is love, isn't it? This is you, isn't it? Without knowing it, I fell in love. This is all so… confusing… but I'm sure we can get through it.'_

He smiled again. "Amy, I-"

He was cut off when his face was slammed into the bars of the door. His quills were pulled painfully backwards, and he caught a glimpse of Amy's horrified face on the other side of the door, before he was flung far away to the other side of the room. Robots and machines crunched under his weight, mechanical limbs snapping like twigs as he landed in a bed of ruined machines. He heard a _pop _and a strange sigh as a frozen robot, now missing a leg, fell on its face and shattered its eyes.

"Sonic, Sonic! Get up!" he heard Amy scream. He heard loud clangs as she took out her hammer and furiously beat at the bars to no avail.

"Sorry, Amy. I had your hammer in mind when I built that… but I expected you to be on this side."

Sonic got up, pieces of metal falling off as he did. "Hey, Tails. Long time no see."

The double-tailed fox raised an eyebrow. "You're okay?"

"Yeah, thanks for worrying," Sonic quipped, brushing off the last of the metal. He ignored the fox rolling his eyes and gave him a smirk. "But I'm surprised that you could throw me so far."

The fox shrugged. "I learned how to do a lot of things when you were gone." He spread his hands. He was taller now, almost Sonic's height, his fur perhaps a shade darker. "Anyway, you should also know that Ruby is safe and sound. Looks like Vanilla didn't agree with some of the… things I needed to do to study the Chaos energy inside her."

Sonic breathed an internal sigh of relief. "So why are you telling me this?" he asked.

"Oh, just so you don't try to use any psychological crap on me to get Ruby back." Tails spread his legs and barred his teeth in what would never be mistaken for a grin. "I'm really not in the mood for any patronizing speeches about who's right and wrong today."

Sonic smirked. "I'm getting tired of long speeches myself." He cracked his neck, the pops sounding loud in the face of Tails's glowering silence. "By the way, nice broadcast you sent out. How long did it take you to write _that _speech?"

Tails growled. "Shut up, Sonic. I'm not the kid you knew back then. I'm much better than you now!"

He charged at Sonic, who dodged only in the nick of time. _'When did he get that fast?' _he thought to himself in surprise.

The yellow-furred fox seemed to read his mind. "I grew a lot when you were gone, Sonic." This time, it was he who smirked. "You on the other hand…"

Sonic stiffened when Tails suddenly appeared behind him. The fox leaned forward so that he was inches away from his ear. "… You haven't changed a bit." The fox kicked him in the back, sending him flying into the wall. Machinery flew in all direction, clanging as they landed on the floor.

Sonic heard the fox approach slowly, kicking aside robots in his way. Each flew into the wall with a crash, leaving holes where they landed.

"I'm finally going to end this, Sonic. So please stop struggling so I can get this over with."

Sonic chuckled. The fox suddenly stopped. "And you're _still _laughing? You _seriously _haven't changed a bit!"

Sonic just kept chuckling, but it sounded considerably darker. "Don't let your guard down, Tails." The hedgehog flew to his feet, a broken robot arm in his hand. The end glinted sharply in the moonlight, shattering Tails's vision for just a second. Then, with a yell, Sonic thrust the arm into his chest.

Tails's eyes widened in surprise. He coughed, silvers of blood dripping out of his mouth. "What the…" He staggered backwards, falling with a thud onto the ground, clutching the arm stuck into his chest tightly.

A shocked silence blanketed over the entire room.

"… Is… that it?" asked Amy, still behind the bars.

Sonic looked down at the fox, who was still breathing hard. "No way, that was too easy." He scanned the room around him. "Amy, this could get dangerous. You should find a way to get out of here."

"What?! But…"

"How are you going to help me standing over there?!" Sonic snapped.

"Well… I'll just have to find a way to get in!" Amy turned around, leaving before Sonic could say another word.

"Amy! Wait!" he yelled, stepping towards the door.

"… Hey, Sonic. You're right. I was being too easy on you."

Sonic froze, and slowly turned around.

Tails gurgled out a laugh, wiping the blood that was bubbling at the corner of his mouth off with his arm. The robotic arm in his chest was now in his hand, but there was no gaping hole where his heart should be. Tails laughed at Sonic's surprised face, flinging away the arm so that it knocked down another mechanical structure in its path. Pieces of machines flew everywhere as Tails continued to laugh.

"You know… Nathaniel's powers to bring people back to life are almost like a phoenix's." Tails touched the part in his chest where the hole should've been. "Legend has it that when a phoenix dies, it bursts into flames, and from its ashes, it is reborn again. And this cycle continues forever and ever and ever, and therefore, the phoenix never dies." He pressed a hand into his chest and smirked. "Nathaniel's powers aren't… _quite _so miraculous. When he brings someone back from the dead, he is charging them with Chaos energy so that they can move and continue living. But every now and then, he has to recharge that person with energy, almost like recharging a battery of a machine."

Tails took a menacing step forward, his tails stiff behind him. "Do you see why I took Ruby for studying now?"

Sonic took an unwilling step back. He thought that his battle was too easy, but he wasn't expecting this! "I thought you wanted to bring everyone back to life."

Tails shrugged. "I did, at first." He scratched the back of his head. "But then I stumbled upon this discovery. Imagine if someone – or _something_ - could recycle that Chaos energy in your body for the rest of your life? Imagine if you never needed Nathaniel – or something like him – to recharge for you? You would never, _ever _die. Chaos energy can do just about anything – repairing wounds is just one of them. It can keep you young, it can give you powers – it's almost like constantly being in super mode, but you don't need any Chaos Emeralds." Tails smirked. "Some people say that Chaos energy could even grant wishes."

Sonic raised an eyebrow, hiding his profound surprise – and fear. "Oh, so that's why there are rings around your wrists."

Tails held them up. Two heavy looking gold rings were clamped around his wrists, and they glinted brightly in the light. "You just noticed them?"

Sonic laughed mockingly. "Well, I thought that Shadow had a bad influence on you or something." Sonic stepped towards Tails.

The fox looked surprise. "So even after learning that I'm basically immortal, you still want to fight me?"

Sonic shook his head. His eyes softened. "Tails, you want to be with Cream, don't you?"

The fox flinched, and he bared his teeth in anger. "How did you…?"

"I'm your brother, of course I know." Sonic took a deep breath. He himself couldn't believe that he could still say that after all they had been through. Maybe he was more of a fool than he thought. "If you're immortal and you can't die… how are you ever going to meet Cream?"

"… You still don't see…"

Sonic looked up. The fox… was shaking?"

"You still don't see… _you still don't get it!" _Tails snarled, the sound slashing the night. "If I can't die, then the only way I can see them all again is to bring them back to life! I'm going to take Nathaniel so that I can bring them to life… I'm going to…"

Sonic cut him off. "And you're willing to kill some more people for it?"

Tails glared. "So what? I don't care about your judgment," he spat.

"…" Sonic closed his eyes briefly. "… I know that I have no right to judge you," he conceded. "But… I know I can still help you."

"The only way you'll help me is by handing Nathaniel over," Tails answered.

"No… there's another way." Sonic opened his eyes, his green eyes hard emeralds without a sparkle. "I'll kill you so that you can see Cream again."

Tails bristled. He snapped, zooming towards Sonic at full speed. "Don't you get it? _I can't die anymore!"_

Sonic tried to catch Tails's fist with one hand, but he wasn't strong enough to hold it back. He felt his fist imprint painfully itself into his cheek, before another kick to the stomach pinned him to the ground.

Tails was breathing hard, his face inches from Sonic's. "I… can't… die…" he uttered, sweat dripping down his forehead.

Sonic looked at him sadly. "Actually, you can." He threw both his hands up, wrapping them around the gold rings around Tails's wrists.

Suddenly, white-hot pain shot up his right leg. For the first time, he screamed. It felt like every muscle was on fire, as if someone was trying to eat his leg. He blinked away the whiteness creeping in from the side of his vision and forced himself up, the sound of his own gasps drilling into his ears.

"You… think you can take this ring off?"

Sonic struggled to stand, but found that his right leg refused to move.

Tails had broken it.

The fox was now glaring, his blue eyes cold and beyond recognition. "The only way you'll get this ring off is to rip my arm off." He touched the rings on his arm, which seemed to shiver in response. "Do you think I made it that easy to take off?"

Sonic struggled up onto his left leg, balancing and ignoring the pain in his other leg that shot up like a fierce wildfire. "Heh… so you broke one of my legs." The hedgehog shrugged, smiling weakly. "I can still run faster than you hoping on one leg."

The fox seemed to compose himself. "Care to test that theory?" he challenged, before rushing at him once again.

Sonic ducked the first blow, and managed to elbow Tails in the face. But Tails recovered quickly and knocked him to the ground. Sonic yelled in pain as shard of rocks embedded themselves into his cheeks.

Tails laughed harshly. "You can't beat me like this."

"… Oh yeah? Watch me…"

He grabbed onto Tails's ankle.

Tails blinked down at him, and scoffed. "So what are you planning to do down there?" He raised his other foot, and without mercy, stomped down hard on Sonic's head.

Sonic felt his face slam into the ground. The salty taste of blood spilled in his mouth, and his vision darkened a little. His eye was probably swollen now. But he wouldn't let go.

"Sonic… you are beneath me." Stomp. "I can't believe that you would sacrifice the whole world for just two kids." Stomp. "I can't believe that you abandoned all of us!" Stomp. "Maybe I was just stupid to think that we were your whole life!" The ground broke beneath Sonic, and he yelled again in pain.

Tails glowered. "Nice knowing you, Sonic."

He raised his foot again…

"Wait."

His foot stopped in midair. "What? You're still alive?" he mocked.

Sonic turned his head up painfully. He looked pathetic, one eye swollen and blood running out of the corner of his mouth.

But he was still _smiling. _

"You spent way too long gloating, Tails. I actually feel better than ever."

"What are you talking about?" Tails's demanded.

"I'm talking about _this!" _

Tails felt himself being thrown off. He was slammed into the wall, but then he felt Sonic pin him there, his arms holding his wrists firmly at his sides, and his right leg digging into his stomach.

_"What?!" _Tails's coughed up blood as Sonic dug his knee deeper into his stomach. "How…"

"Tails, you probably didn't realize it, but you're like a walking emerald now."

Tails's eyes widened.

Sonic smirked at him. "I don't know the scientific stuff, but since you have all that Chaos energy circulating in you, you feel a lot like a Chaos Emerald. So then I absorbed some of that energy to fix my leg. You said that they could fix wounds, right?"

Tails could only stare in shock. Without any scientific equipment, without any studying, Sonic just _knew _all that. "How did you know?" he asked.

Sonic shrugged. "I just feel it. That's all."

Tails bristled. How dare this swollen-faced, traitorous _thing _even dare say, "I just feel it?" How dare he have a better understanding of… of _everything? _How could Sonic just look at him and see right through his ploy? How… How…

"How come you always beat me, Sonic?" he yelled, his screaming filling the room. He flailed, though it was futile against Sonic's grip. "You just… through everything… you always…" Tails panted, suddenly losing all strength. "Somehow… you always come out on top," he whispered.

Sonic blinked. He never realized how confused Tails was. He was always the one with answers to all his questions. He was always the one with ambitious goals, while Sonic just wanted to enjoy life. He was… well, he was always there. Until now.

"Tails…" he said softly. "I… I really don't know how I can answer that question for you." He laughed sadly. "I never thought of myself as someone who always comes up on top. I never saw myself as a person who wins every time. I just knew that… that I hated seeing people sad." Sonic laughed again. "I know, I sound so lame… but I just wanted people to be happy. That's all."

Tails laughed too, but it was more bitter than sad. "What about me? I wasn't happy when you left."

Sonic looked away for a moment, surveying the machines around him. All built by Tails, it seemed. "… But you still had other things to make you happy, right?" Sonic looked back at him. "You were always happiest when you were building things, weren't you?"

Tails stared. After a few moments, he shook his head. "You're wrong, Sonic," he answered, weakly. "I was always happiest when I was building things for the both of us." Tails felt tears well up in his eyes, and felt them run down his face as they silently fell. "I was always happiest when I was with my big brother…"

Sonic felt his breathing catch. "Tails… I…" Tails… he was still so fragile! If Sonic squeezed his fist just a little harder… he could imagine it snapping under his fingers. "Tails… I really don't know what else I can do."

Tails looked away from him. "I… really hate you, Sonic."

"Why don't you look at me when you say that?"

Tails swallowed, but said nothing.

"Look at me when you tell me you hate me, Tails."

Tails pressed his lips tight, ignoring him.

"Tails…"

Tails squeezed his eyes shut. Colour dashed across his vision for a moment as he took in a deep breath. Then, he screamed, louder than he thought was possible, letting all his rage into his words, willing them to stab into the figure in front of him. "I hate you. _I hate you, Sonic the Hedgehog!" _

_"Look at me when you say that!"_

Tails glared at him, and the hedgehog glared straight back.

Suddenly, Tails relaxed, sobs choking in his throat. "Sonic… _Sonic!" _The hedgehog let him go, and he slumped to the ground, scattering debris. He didn't even try to stand up. "I can't… I can't even _hate _you right." He wiped his eyes with his arm. "Sonic… I'm just so happy around you; I can't even _hate _you right. Even though you took everything away from me…"

"He has a way of doing that."

There was a distant clang, and Amy seemed to drop from nowhere.

Tails smiled weakly. "Got in through the ventilation system?"

Amy nodded. "Yeah…" She kneeled down in front of the young fox, touching his head lightly. The fox didn't move away, but he didn't go any closer to her either. "Listen, I know what you mean about Sonic. He always seems to do the worst things possible to you, and he always seems to hurt you… but in the end…" She looked up at him and smiled. "In the end, he always finds some way to save you. Because… you know…" she hesitated a little. "He just wants us all to live…"

Tails looked down at his lap. "To live… huh…" His voice got a little quieter. "Hey… Sonic… take Amy and step back a little, will ya?"

Amy blinked curiously, before letting herself to be led back by Sonic.

Tails didn't get up. Instead, he fiddled with the rings around his wrists for a moment. "… Sonic, Amy…" He smiled at the two of them. "Do me a favour… and live, okay?"

Sonic opened his mouth to reply.

But then, there was an explosion.

He felt Amy pull him down and cover his head. He felt the waves of head pour over their heads, the shrapnel getting stuck into the walls. As time slowed until mere seconds felt like hours, he saw the machinery around him melt, their bare skeletons screaming into the night; glass exploding like fireworks around them; the rock they were now hiding under barely hanging on to the ground. And yet, he felt completely numb.

Then, silence…

Sonic and Amy both stood up slowly, looking towards where the fox was.

Around him lay a ring of waste and destruction. The rings were now melted, misshapen shapes beside him, dull and caked with soot. Tails himself was untouched… but he was dying.

"Chaos Blast…" Amy whispered.

Sonic nodded numbly. "He got rid of all the Chaos energy inside him… so that means he's going to… to…"

He left the sentence hanging. Amy tugged at his wrist. "Hey… he's still moving."

They both approached him slowly. Tails's eyes were looking at the sky, still and peaceful. "… Guys…" he croaked. He turned his head in painfully slow motion to look at them, but his eyes still would not move. "Why… are you still here…?"

"Tails…" Sonic collapsed beside him. "Tails… hang on, hang on…" he muttered, yet he knew it was useless. Tails had decided to kill himself, and nothing was bringing him back.

"Sonic… Amy… don't worry about… me…" His breathing was getting shallower, and air whistled in and out of his lungs. "Nathaniel… and Naomi… are in the building… Eggman…" He gasped, his eyes starting to roll deliriously.

The pair shot up. "Eggman?" Amy asked.

Tails nodded. "Save… them… live…" His voice was barely above a murmur now, harsh and low in his throat.

Sonic swallowed. "Tails… I… I didn't want this to happen. I didn't want you to die." Sonic shook, his heart breaking in a new way he didn't think possible. Could there actually be different ways for your heart to break? Was that why you could never get used to the feeling of your soul being smashed into a million pieces? "I… I just wanted us all to live…" he whispered.

Tails shook his head, but managed to grab onto Sonic's hand and pulled him a little closer. Sonic bent his head down to the fox.

But the fox didn't say anything. He just stared at Sonic for a long while… and smiled.

Tails's grip loosened, and Sonic stood back up. His hand fell to the ground with a dull _thud. _

The smile stayed on his face as they left.

* * *

_"Kid… looks like you lost."_

Tails opened his eyes, and found two pairs looking down back at him.

_"Knuckles… Shadow…?"_

He shot up, looking around himself. _"Where… am I?"_

_"Well… you're dead. Does that answer anything?" _asked Shadow.

Tails stood up, confused. _"Umm… well…"_

_"Sorry, Tails. Shadow likes to be cryptic." _The red echidna nodded at the dark hedgehog, who turned around and said nothing.

Tails blinked a few times. _"… Hey, did Shadow just disappear?"_

Knuckles shrugged. _"You can do that when you're dead."_

Tails scratched his head, getting more confused by the second. _"So… where are we?"_

_"We're in the place where you go when you die."_

_"Which is…?"_

Knuckles shrugged again. _"Here." _Knuckles caught Tails's questioning look. _"What does it matter? The point is that you're dead. And now… you're here. Call it heaven; call it hell… whatever you want. Being dead is what you make it."_

Tails cocked his head to the side. _"When did you get so wise, Knuckles?"_

Knuckles chuckled. _"Heh, as I said, being dead is what you make it." _He turned away from him. _"Now, isn't there someone you want to meet?"_

_"I…" _

Knuckles left, and Tails was left to walk around for a little while.

_"Hey, Tails! Over here!"_

Tails froze. _'That voice…'_

He whirled around. Cream was standing right in front of him, a sad smile on her face.

_"Hi," _she said with a little wave.

_"Cream… I…" _Tails swallowed. _"Cream… I'm sorry that I lost."_

The rabbit shrugged. _"That's okay. We all lost, in a way."_

Tails blinked. Then, a smile stretched over his face. _"Well… I'm glad that we lost, then." _

He felt her smile and put his arms around his middle. She hugged him tightly, and he could hear her inhale deeply. _"I'm glad that we lost too…"_

Some distance away, Shadow and Knuckles watched the two embrace.

Shadow gave Knuckles a sidelong glance. _"I thought you said that the dead couldn't affect each other."_

Knuckles huffed, and turned away from them. _"As I said… being dead is what you make it…"_

_

* * *

**A/N: **_So... how was it? I actually tried really hard to make it epic... but, I dunno, it wasn't exactly the best chapter I had ever written in the world. It did make me sad though. I mean, losing your own sibling... it's like having your arm torn off. I had a few close calls before with my sibling, so I know from experience.

Oh, and some people seem to be confused about the whole "dead" thing. I hope this answered some of your questions. First off, yes, they are dead. They are, by no means, "floating" in some sort of limbo. Asides from the fact that I didn't want to offend anyone who didn't like the idea of heaven or hell, or having it being described wrongly or something, I wanted to leave just enough to all your imaginations. I didn't want to write something like, "this is what heaven is like. You must believe me for now." XD

I tried to describe how I see Chaos Energy being used as clearly as I could, but if there's things you don't get, feel free to ask! I'll try my best to answer!

And by my estimation, I say this story may last for another two to three chapters.

Thanks for reading! We really love you all! And thanks to the people who read the last chapter twice!

**Anonymous Reviews:**

**Saint of Me: **Whoa, a month to read?! What the heck?! YOU GET EXTRA COOKIES! (don't worry, it won't poison you... I hope). Niagra Falls is a cool place... pretty rainbow coloured waterfalls make me happy inside. Though I have to admit that it's really the arcade and rides that make me wanna go... though I guess the Falls themselves are a plus XD And as I said, probably around two to three chapters, and then, LA FIN! The thought sort of makes me relieved, in a sad way :( Thanks for reading!

**kitsunepowaa: **Hee, really? Aces is really good at Nathaniel and Naomi scenes. I, on the other hand, butcher those scenes pretty thoroughly... Oh, and I think the Hedgehog Engine was actually in development for three years, sorry about the wrong number. And yes, I SAW THAT FREAKING CUTSCENE! I was like, "WTF?! THIS IS A JOKE, RIGHT?!" Or maybe it was just a marketing ploy to get us SonAmy fans to buy the game... Heh, anyways, thanks for reviewing!

**Ytin: **Heh, you know what I just realized? Your name backwards is "Nity." That sounds so cute! Err... yeah... thanks for reviewing! It always amazes me when someone reads the WHOLE ENTIRE STORY to catch up. It makes me really happy too! Hmm... Vanilla and Amy... I dunno, I myself never felt any sort of hatred of sorts between them. Yeah, she did kill Cream, but... how to put this? Amy is sort of like Vanilla's "daughter" as well, and, let's say you're a mother... you have two daughters fighting for opposite sides, and one kills the other, what are you supposed to feel? You can't truly say you hate one or the other, so... Huh, I can't really explain this right, but I hope that might've cleared up that question a tiny bit, at least. Thanks again!

_The Queen of Aces_

_azngirlchibi_


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: **I feel like crap. No, worse than that. Like dog crap. Mono sucks so hardcore, and everyone else is like: Don't worry Rox, it only takes two months to fully recover. I'm about to cry, I'm covered in my own mucus, I haven't been able to swallow painlessly for two weeks, I feel like my head is ice cold while my body's on fire and sometimes my head is on fire and my body's ice cold. It's not bad enough to go back to the hospital, don't worry, but I'm so weak that I'm thinking about using my old wheelchair to get around school. As it is, going down one flight of stairs feels like slicing open my lungs. I honestly felt better in the hospital when I was supposedly worse, so how does that work?

But then a lot has happened. I had that cross-state volleyball tournament that took forever and a day, and right afterwards I was like: Cool, I get to work on the chapter, I got down with this lovely bug. So this chapter is so late it needs to be fined...achoo! Excuse me, now while I go wipe the mounts of mucus off the keyboard why don't you enjoy this chapter? I doubt you can, but try.

And by the way, let's give a hand to my lovely partner, who didn't yell at me though all the shit I had to do was making me on edge about it. I was like: _I know I said I'd be done but..._ And she didn't once yell at me! Not once! I feel so bad but it's not like I asked for this, I mean come on! But I seriously give her a round of applause because I don't think I could have been so patient. She's like the human calm bomb, or whatever.

Azngirlchibi: That's all I get? A round of applause?

Me: Well...do you wanna see me naked?

Azngirlchibi: No....no I don't.

Me: My body's all I got. Sorry. Wait, you want my boyfriend? He's almost house broken.

Azngirlchibi: ....You know what? Forget it.

Haha, enjoy the chapter! Achoo! Ah GROSS! DAMN IT!

* * *

**"We all wear masks Spiderman. But which one is real? The one that goes _over_ your face, or the one that _is_ your face?"**

_-Green Goblin from The Spectacular Spiderman Series_

* * *

"Children are fascinating creatures, aren't they?" The doctor asked himself with a rhetorical tone in his voice, the lenses of his glasses flashing while he watched the two green hedgehogs' every movement, their features captured by his own tracking invention.

He focused in on the small boy, the one with a come-and-get-me grin and eyes filled with only color. From here he seemed so small, so weak and helpless and devoid of anything worthy at all. He was holding onto the hand of his little sister, and even though he knew it to be true, he could not imagine those intertwined fingers could harness such incredible power. He did not look like a 'phoenix' at all, as Tails had so vividly described it, but a little boy looking for his mother.

Of course Robotnik had trouble relating to anything the little boy was related to. Prophesies, mythical creatures that could rebuild themselves from the ashes, not a shred of that was scientific. Though he had seen some brought to life, he was skeptical to anything that could only be proved with sight. He gave another sigh and let his eyes train on the boy a moment longer before he shook his head, continuing on with his thoughts.

"They have grown so attached to that filthy pink rat so they don't even see where _they _begin and _she _ends; they're so blind they don't even see themselves in danger. They consider _her_ in danger just for being out of their sight, anything beyond that they can't even comprehend. Absolutely fascinating." He rubbed the end of his moustache with his mind reeling, his mouth slacking open. "She should know more than everyone that there _is _such a thing as being _too_ close to someone. Then again, as I recall, she was always incredibly stupid when it came to learning from mistakes." He only paused for a moment. "Especially ones of that nature."

The silence was eerie, spouting seeds of doubt into his mind. Hadn't he himself underestimated her in the past using the same mockery to distract him? Hadn't he received hammer blows to the face because of past encounters that seemed so one-sided as far as she was concerned?

That Amy Rose had always been able to take those mistakes and use them as a weapon, her broken heart a harpoon, her rage a sword that was unbendable, her love a guided arrow. She claimed to fight for all things love and so many times he had not understood the severity of its power over her.

Well, this time would be different in more sense than one.

The doctor leaned back, content to watch his plan unfold. "You always used to say that love will always save the day Miss Rose," he spoke directly while a smile crawled over his features. "We'll see if you were right soon enough."

* * *

They kept walking until they saw a magnificent oak tree reaching towards the heavens before they stopped, and Tails felt his hand squeeze hers a little more urgently, as if he would wake up to realize their reunion was just a cruel ruse.

_I couldn't take another dream…this time I know you're really here._

Cream looked at him and smiled so tenderly that he thought he would melt into a puddle at her feet. They looked up, watching the branches stretch across the white of their sky, growing with every second. Then a petal fell, and as Tails opened his hand and caught it, he noticed its purely innocent shade of pink. He looked up with an idea forming, noticing that more petals had started to fall, the petals of a perfectly formed cosmos flower…

Cream nudged against him, her whiskey eyes filled with light. "She couldn't wait for you, after she died. But she left part of herself here, so you would always know that she didn't want to leave and she'll always be hoping for you to come."

At this, Tails closed his fist around the petal to turn to her. "What are you talking about?" he asked while their fingers further intertwined. "I thought this is the place you went to after you die. That's why I'm here, isn't it? And why you're here with me." He blushed and looked down in thought. "If there was a heaven in hell, we know where I'd go."

The ends of the branches were growing little buds, blooming because of the fox's presence. Cream sighed, her smile replaced with a concerned frown. "This is the place you go to after you die. But it's not where you'll be going…" she rested her head on his shoulder, sending shivers down his arm. "This is the holding place. We're caught between the afterlife and…well…life…"

Tails blinked, his eyes focused on the plant before him. "You mean we're in limbo?"

At that, Cream flinched. "It's complicated. You know how Knuckles keeps saying 'being dead is what you make it'?" She felt him nod and continued. "For him, this place is limbo. But for Shadow, this place is all he'll ever see."

Tails pulled away, shocked, but never letting go of her hand. "What are you saying?" he asked slowly, unable to comprehend. "Shadow can't ever get out of limbo?"

At that, Cream looked back up, where the tree had stretched beyond sight. "No. He won't even be judged until he wants to. It's hard to explain…but…do you remember back on Chris' world? Where people all had to get together to fly on one big plane to get somewhere?" He nodded again as she rubbed her thumb against his knuckles, comforting him. "And people would wait at the airport for the people they loved before they left? And we saw people who held signs, who had names painted on them so the person could find them?"

Tails felt a lump form in his throat. "So this place is like a giant airport?"

She nodded this time, something like sadness taking over her face. "You're only allowed to move on when the person you gave half your heart to gives it back. Or, in some scenarios: the person who has taken the most from you…"

She took a breath. "If you were murdered, you're not allowed to leave until you confront your murderer and you're able to put your soul at peace." She took a step towards him. "If you died alone, without giving your heart to anyone, you have to wait till you find peace here." She pointed all around them, her cheeks coloring. "I've seen two people find their way _out _of here because they _met _here. I've seen glimpses of people who have just walked right through because the person they loved was already waiting for them."

Tails was taken aback, surprised such a thing so grotesque as death could be described as something so redeeming. "What happens when you're able to leave?" he asked though he could have easily guessed the answer.

"You get judged. You get to leave." Cream responded in a hollow tone, her ears drooping down a little. "Until then, you stay here for all eternity."

Tails watched her with every single good intent. "Do Knuckles and Shadow know this? All of this? They seemed pretty sure this was the only heaven or hell when I asked them."

Cream shrugged. "Like he says. Being dead is what you make it. Everything I've seen and everything I've heard just might be my way of moving on. Maybe this place is all there is, but I'll disappear into my own heaven because my wish is to go forward with someone I love. Who knows? Maybe all this I'm telling you has happened because this is how I'm passing on. Maybe I'll get into my heaven and I'll have you with me but you won't really _be_ there. Maybe we'll have replacements for us wherever we go, maybe you have the desire to just stay here and when I go I'll leave a part of me behind so you'll be happy too."

Tails tried to grasp what she was saying but found her words were all too unscientific. Too illogical, how could he ever have a replacement for her? How could she have a different idea of passage than he did? If they all moved on in their own way, had their own heaven, how was he supposed to stay beside her? He hugged her close to him in a flash, determined not to let her go. She buried her face in his chest, before muttering silently.

"There is another way." She whispered so that he heard her clearly. "A way for us all to be judged together, to go the same place, to keep going forward in the same direction." As he started to agree, her words came first. "There has to be someone with a pure and holy soul that delivers us. Someone who will guide us through together, lead the way."

Tails looked up as a petal fell on his nose. His heart inflated. "Cosmo…"

Cream nodded, tears in her eyes. "When she came. She took everyone. Her sister, her mother…Dark Oak…they all ended up living in peace after she took their hands and just walked on." She laughed, it sounded unsure. "She's waiting for you; she left this tree because this is where she left. I think the worst part of it is that she wanted to guide you. She feels like she's leaving you behind, again."

Tails watched the petals form patterns in their large quantity, watched them ease onto the ground with unbearable grace. "We have to wait for Nathaniel?" he guessed, only to be surprised when Cream joined their free hands and squeezed them so hard he felt the strain though he wasn't even alive.

Her lips moved, her words deafening, the only thing Tails could hear besides his racing heart. "Not Nathaniel…" She leaned in and kissed him, whispering in the aftermath. "Not if he can help it."

* * *

"Hey Nathaniel," Naomi panted while she tried to keep up, waiting till he slowed so she could join by his side. "Can I ask you a question?" She tried to join his long strides when their arms touched, and she was surprised how warm he was, a fire inside that was catching on quick. He nodded and she grabbed his hand to keep from being left behind.

"What's the scariest thing in the whole world?" she asked, thinking about last Halloween. How she and Amy had been frightened to death by mischievous neighbors hiding in shadows, playing innocent pranks, while Nathaniel had merely been annoyed with each surprise, his head tilting as if to say _'is that all'? _Naomi remembered thinking that her brother was the bravest person in the whole world.

Naomi blinked. "Cause you're not afraid of spiders or vampires or Frankenstein or werewolves or anything like that…"

Nathaniel turned to her with a sly smile. "Spiders can be crushed. Vampires can get killed by the sun, Frankenstein is just plain stupid, werewolves only last for a full moon…" he slowed down even more as he thought. "Monsters like that are dumb, they're not even real. Why would I be afraid of something that isn't even alive?"

Naomi thought for a minute, wondering when in the world her brother had changed so much. Usually the relationship between them was obvious to outsiders: he was the strong, beautiful and intelligent one while she was the one who was always left behind. But she never truly felt it was like that until that moment, her heart stretched with envy.

Then she remembered his magic and it all turned to remorse. "So then…what are you scared of?"

Nathaniel answered back almost disinterestedly. "I'm afraid of being without Amy, and you. I'm afraid that my magic will do bad things and I'll hurt you again like I did before. I'm afraid of you being afraid of me. I'm afraid of that man who kissed Mama, because he makes her act like I'm not here." He finished before looking at his sister with the saddest smile she had ever seen. "But I'm not afraid of monsters."

For a moment it was deathly quiet. Then Naomi tightened his grip on her hand and smiled brilliantly. "And I'm not afraid of you."

* * *

**A/N: **Short and sweet. Damn, I'm gonna have a lot to live up to in the next chapter.

Anyway, wish Aces better with me! After an awesome chapter like this, you can't let her be sick. It's like, illegal!

**Anonymous Reviews:**

**cari: **Err... if you're still here... It's updated?

**Ytin: **YES! I'm so clever! LOL. Sorry 'bout the delay. If you've gone through Ace's rant up there, you'll know what's happened. I'm glad that you've read up to chapter thirty with us... I know it's a lot of work going through all that. Yeah, I've actually tried to read through it all, to scan it for any loose ends we've forgotten XD Anyway, hope you're still here to read this chapter - you can't miss this XD

**WardOrange StoneMonkeyGadget: **... This doesn't happen to be Gadget, does this? ... Nah. Anyway, typos seem to stick to my writing like flies. CAN'T GET RID OF THEM! ARGH! I'm pretty much "tongue-in-cheek" when I complain to other people about their typos XD Thanks for reading!

**kitsunepowaa: **YES! SONIC UNLEASHED FOR THE WII ON THE EIGHTEENTH! I'm so excited, LOL. Ack, I didn't think people would actually cry in the last chapter... I think I'm glad that they did. If that doesn't sound totally evil or anything XD Thanks for reading!

**Cake the Crab: **I don't know why I like killing characters so much. When was the last time I wrote something without killing off the characters? LOL. Well, I thought it was a fitting end to Tails, so I'm relieved to know that you're fine with it. Emotion and poetic is what we like to aim for! XD Thanks for reading, and glad that Naomi and Nathaniel hasn't fallen into your bad books!

**Saint of Me: **Thanks, that's pretty much what we want to get across. Knuckles makes anyone laugh... He's known for it XD Thanks for reading!

All the best!

_The Queen of Aces_

_azngirlchibi  
_


	32. Chapter 32

_**A/N: **_You know what you should never do? Leave review-replying to the last minute. It is BAD. You _will _start to babble like an idiot after a while. So I'm sorry to the people that I just replied to, who are wondering, "... What the heck is Chibi trying to say to me?!"

Anyway, the next chapter is finally here! Please enjoy, and Merry Christmas from both Aces and I!

* * *

_"I promise you, I'm always there_

_When your heart is filled with sorrow and despair_

_And I'll carry you when you need a friend  
_

_You'll find my footprints in the sand."_

**Lyrics from "Footprints in the Sand" by Leona Lewis**_  
_

* * *

The halls were filled with the musty scent of flicky feathers and rabbit fur, cooped up for far too long in one spot.

Sonic knew that this base was the last place that they ever saw.

He couldn't imagine that. Dying in this cold, iron prison, watching your life dulling out in the reflective metal plating around them. Like eyes… so many helpless eyes, and you couldn't even tell if they cared anymore…

Sonic clenched his fist. "Tails…" he whispered.

His name drifted through the hallways like a quiet warning.

Amy put a hand over his fist. "Not like him," she answered.

_'We won't let Nathan and Naomi die like him.' _It didn't need to be said out loud.

And still, his name echoed through the hallways, a keening crescendo leading them on…

* * *

There had only been one time in his life when Nathaniel had not been holding onto his sister's hand.

He had been so young that the memory probably shouldn't even exist in his mind any longer. But it had been so vivid that he could dredge up the old memory as easily as remembering the colour of his eyes.

Naomi had walked out of his line of sight for just a second. Just one second – not that he had known how long a second was back then. He should've gone with her, but the next thing he knew, she was bleeding all over the grass, and Amy had been there, clutching onto her, refusing to let go.

He had been so confused back then. Why wouldn't she let Naomi go?

And then, he knew why. When he had touched Naomi's skin, and Amy had drawn back abruptly… It was his fault, right? If only he had been watching, hadn't been so careless… And now Amy thought that he would hurt her. Right?

Something had changed that day. It was as if Amy had pulled herself far, far away from him. He could hold her, but she wouldn't really be there.

And there had been hands stroking his quills, telling him how everything would be okay.

How he hated those hands.

He couldn't remember who they belonged to, but he could remember a deep, burning hatred for them. They had fixed his sister, and then went and fixed his mother. Something that he hadn't been able to do. His blood had pulsed with jealousy, his eyes flashing with anger. He didn't want them near him, or his family.

He had vowed from that day on that he would beat those hands. That he would show them how much better _he _could be, how much stronger _he _was, how easily _he _could win the hearts of his mother and sister…

How _he _would never let them go, no matter what.

Nathaniel walked on, his sister in tow. The icy walls around them reflected their image, thousands of eyes staring back at them. He wondered if they were friendly.

Suddenly, Naomi shrunk into him.

Nathaniel looked down with alarm. "What is it?"

Naomi started to shiver. Slowly, with shaking fingers, she pointed straight ahead, and her grip turned vice-like. "There…"

Nathaniel followed the direction of her finger. He couldn't see anything, just a yawning pit full of shadows that crawled onto the edges of the light behind him. If he looked at them a little longer, the shadows seemed to form little dancing ghosts, their hands waving back and forth in time with the beating of his heart.

And for a moment, it was all he could hear. His heart beating steadily in his chest.

Nathaniel blinked. Was he still listening to his own heartbeat? Something ahead seemed to be pulsing as well, but he couldn't tell if it was just an echo he heard, or something else. Maybe they were the same thing. Could someone have two hearts?

He heard Naomi cry beside him, but ignored it. When had he started running? He was still holding onto Naomi's hand, but she was starting to stagger as he started to go faster and faster, until he was almost running, impatiently dragging his sister back up when she tripped.

It was getting colder too, he noticed. Like he was outside, watching the snow pile up in thin slices on the ground. But this was a different cold, as if he had swallowed up ice and it was now running in his veins. He hadn't realize that it was now very dark, and there was a screaming sound in his ears, the shadows that he couldn't see around him starting to wail silently, their hands reaching towards him, trying to yank him backwards. He waved his free arm, beating them back, watching them leap away as if his touch had burned them. The world around him blurred black as he ran blindly ahead, following his heart beat.

A door flung open at his touch.

Nathaniel's eyes widened. He couldn't even hear Naomi wheezing beside him. The shining gem in front of him was so white, whiter than Naomi's skin, brighter than the sun. But he couldn't stop watching it.

And he wanted it.

He started to step forwards, but Naomi's grip tightened.

Nathaniel turned around in annoyance. Stupid sister, thinking that she was smart, that she could get in his way…!

Before he knew it, she was on the ground, a dark bruise on her face.

For a second, the shock jolted every fiber of his body. He shook his head, his thoughts suddenly a jumbled mess. The wailing was so loud, and he could see dark spots spinning dizzyingly before his eyes, and he was so, so cold…

He turned to face the gem, and everything quieted, with one, clear, resounding thought in his head.

He wanted to take the gem.

For the second time in his life, he let go of his sister's hand.

* * *

"Oh, poor girl. Poor, poor girl."

Naomi blinked, her mind blank. She couldn't understand anything that was happening, only that her brother had struck her across the face. And even though it didn't hurt, it had felt like her chest had shattered into a million pieces.

Robotnik appeared, shadows draped casually over his shoulders. "Poor girl," he said again, shaking his head and smiling in sympathy. "It looks like your brother likes the Chaos Emeralds more than he loves you." He sighed deeply. "A shame, quite a shame. I had expected more of a fight out of him, but he practically threw himself in here."

Naomi got shakily to her feet, one eye on her brother. He was completely still, standing in front of the white gem, his eyes unwavering. She turned away with a shudder when the white crystal seemed to be draining the colour out his eyes.

"Are you afraid, girl? Afraid of your brother?"

Naomi flinched. Afraid of her brother? Was she?

Naomi clenched her fist and straightened her back. In a high, clear voice, she uttered one word, and her soul seemed to resound in harmony with it.

"Never."

Robotnik stared for a moment. Then, he chuckled. "'Never?' A big word, for someone of your age. Children cannot even begin to comprehend the meaning of the word "never." No…" He shook his head slowly, moustache quivering. "It is much too big of a word for someone as little as you to wear."

Naomi said nothing. She glanced again at Nathaniel, who didn't seem to hear a word of what they were saying.

"Little girl… I know how you feel."

Naomi looked back at him in surprise.

"You feel so useless, don't you? Like you can't do anything, like you brother is so much stronger than you. _You're _always the one getting sick, _you're _always the one falling over, _you're _always the one who was _in the way._"

Naomi stared at him, her tongue numbed by muteness.

Robotnik's eyes glinted in the light. Or was it the shadows? "You want to feel useful, don't you? You want to be the one helping your brother for once, is that right?" Robotnik smiled ruefully. "So easy to read, children. Fascinating, but easy to pull back the layers of the flimsy little façade that you put up."

Fear bubbled up her throat, urging her to scream. But she couldn't – the man's words seemed to pop every bubble that emerged.

"Naomi…" His words drew her on, even though she wanted to clamp her hand over her ears and _run. _"What if I told you that you _are _important? Maybe more important than your brother?"

_'Don't listen… run… run, Naomi, run…'_

"Naomi… you don't have powers. But do you really think that it's superpowers that make you special, or important?" He laughed. "Superpowers do nothing but give your ego an undeserved boost, a crutch to lean on. But you… you've been fighting all your life. Fighting to be strong, whereas Nathaniel… He had the gifts handed over to him, even though he doesn't deserve it." Robotnik let his eyes roam indulgently. "There is a reason that you two are twins, two halves of the same whole. When one half is gone, the other crumbles, and descends into madness."

_'Run. Run. RUN!'_

"How would you like it…" Robotnik smiled, and flourished something that shone darkly at her. "… if you could help me take over the world?"

* * *

Amy couldn't shake off the feeling that they were going to be late.

They were running now, down the hallways. Sonic seemed to almost see an invisible path that she couldn't, and she felt a small pang. Could he really be so connected to them, even though he had been gone for so, so long?

Sonic turned to her, as if reading her thoughts. "The Chaos Emeralds are nearby," he whispered, as if he would disturb something if he spoke any louder. "Something's going to happen if… if we don't hurry…"

Fear made her breathing quicken. The floor blurred under her, and if she didn't know any better, she might've been running in the same place, unable to move, a rat trapped in its wheel.

Through the darkness, a light appeared, blinding her.

Several things happened at once, so quickly that it took her a moment to catch up to her body.

She saw Nathaniel standing in front of a Chaos Emerald, its white light making him look like a marble statue.

Robotnik was tackled by Sonic – she heard something explode, and felt something whiz inches by her face, her skin feeling like it was blistering from the friction in the air.

And Naomi was in her arms, so quiet that she might've been…

Amy tilted up Naomi's head, letting the eerie, white light shine on her face. She gasped at the dark bruise on her face, and growled. _'Robotnik,' _she thought.

"Naomi, are you all right?" she asked, careful not to touch the bruise.

Naomi stared at her for a moment, then, slowly, very slowly, shook her head 'no.'

"_None _of you will be "all right" soon enough!"

Amy looked up. Robotnik glowered at them, a gun – Amy shuddered – in his hand. Sonic stood in front of them, panting, with a cut above his eye. Robotnik cocked the gun, his right eye purpling and swollen.

"Losing your touch, hedgehog? I wouldn't have thought that three little robots would be enough to get you away from me."

Amy's eyes traveled to the ground. She could see scraps of metal where Sonic had destroyed them. Behind Robotnik, one robot had somehow managed to survive, though the only things that were in tact was its head and one leg. It chirruped weakly at her, and she had to tear her eyes away.

"What have you done to Nathaniel?" Sonic snapped.

Robotnik leered at him. "No games this time? Fine. Let's cut to the chase." He tilted his head towards Nathaniel. "As you can see, he seems to have a thing for the Chaos Emeralds. Perfect knowledge to exploit, is it not?"

Sonic's eyes narrowed. "Don't tell me that _you're _after raising the dead as well?"

Robotnik's smile disappeared. "I'm not a fool like that fox brat of yours. I know better than to dirty my hands with the matters of the dead." He walked slowly towards Nathaniel. "What _I'm _interested in is the living."

Sonic's eyes followed his every movement, his own body twitching slightly as it adjusted to an anticipated attack.

"This boy… he has powers. And if I could harness those powers…" Robotnik smirked. "Well, an immortal ruler with unlimited power sounds like something that I could get used to."

Sonic growled. "And what did Naomi have to do with this?"

Robotnik was silent for a moment. "Had it ever occurred to you what might happen to Nathaniel if any harm were to come to his sister?"

The blood drained out of Sonic's face. His mouth formed a silent, negative "no" of comprehension.

"The power he would release… If even _one _of my machines were to collect it, I would have the world in the palm of my hands. But wait…" Robotnik spread out his arms in a dramatic gesture. "Should I say, the _fox boy _and _my _machines?"

Sonic kept shaking his head, despair constricting his heart.

"That's right, Sonic." He stroke the barrel of the gun with a tender hand. "In exchange for a bit of my resources, he agreed to build me a machine. In fact, I might have never even _thought _of this idea had he not mention immortality. Of course, he went off and had to test on his own… But a scientist like I know not to try unless you are 100 per cent sure of the results." He sneered. "He was useful while he lasted. Overconfident fox boy, he was."

Sonic tensed. "You know _nothing _about Tails," he spat.

Robotnik merely shrugged. "True, perhaps. I never bothered to know his thoughts. But even I need no research to predict the little boy's reaction to his sister's… death."

"You'll never touch her."

Robotnik hid his surprise when both Amy and Sonic spoke as one. _'Little rats…'_

"Oh, _I _won't. But maybe… Nathaniel will do it for me."

Sonic froze. "What…"

"Nathaniel," Robotnik interrupted Sonic. "Do you want the Chaos Emerald?"

Sonic couldn't believe his eyes when Nathaniel nodded. Behind him, Amy drew a half-breath, shaking her head as tears started to stream down her face.

"Would you kill your sister for them?"

And at that, Nathaniel paused. For a second, Sonic felt a rush of hope.

"Why the hesitation?" Robotnik asked. "Oh, I see. You won't do it for one… But how about for two? Or three? Or… seven?"

The room suddenly lit up. Sonic could finally see that they had been standing in a narrow tube with walls, a claustrophobic prison for those who would never again see the outside. In the walls, covered with glass, glowed the rest of the six Chaos Emeralds, so bright that the artificial lights in the ceiling seemed to be driven away.

Nathaniel turned towards them. Behind Sonic, Naomi was utterly still, frozen in place by her brother's sightless eyes.

He paused again, and then stared right at Sonic.

There was a cry… or many cries. He could hear Amy's voice, and maybe even Naomi's. Perhaps Nathaniel was crying too, but he wouldn't have known. He wanted to believe that Nathaniel didn't know what he was doing, or at least… didn't _want _to do what he was doing.

As Sonic watched, transfixed, Nathaniel's hand glowed brightly for just a moment, before a beam of light shot towards him.

And Sonic didn't move.

He closed his eyes. Love. Such a hopeless thing that fluttered and racketed empty songs inside of him. How easily Nathaniel's hate had ripped out its throat and silenced it with just one action! So hopeless. _Hopeless. _

After all, how would he defend himself against his own… son?

Simple. He wouldn't.

Sonic smiled as the world started to melt away into blackness.

* * *

_**A/N: **_So, hope you liked it, and I promise you review ASAP instead of a month later when you have no idea what I'm talking about...

And for those who are like, "Huh? What accident? When, what?!" I don't blame you, I'm referring to a chapter from a long time ago. Look back at the last part in Chapter 9 and the entirety of Chapter 10.

Merry Christmas once again from Queen of Aces and azngirlchibi!

**Anonymous Reviews:**

**Ytin: **Thanks, and yeah, you haven't been on in a while DX Glad you're back, and stick around for the rest of the story!

**kimari: **LOL, thanks for checking frequently, but if you get an account, it'll be a lot easier XD Thanks for reading!

_Queen of Aces_

_azngirlchibi  
_


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: **Fans, I am sincerely sorry for my apathy toward this fanfic. Especially because I'm the one who dragged aznchibigirl into this, for a girl that isn't even sick! Jesus, talk about retarded. When I first found out, I thought: stupid. stupid. And now it's affecting this story, so I'm sorry. Sorry because this fic had so much potential and I ruined it because I was PMSing one day and I was just like: Amy needs to freaking kill anyone so they'll shut their pie-holes. Sick and tired of this sad shit. Yeah, that was soooo not the way to go. Again, sorry bout that! I'll do better, I promise. And everyone, seriously, let's give it up for aznchibigirl.

Because she is Jesus.

Mostly because she wrote most of this chapter (yep, I was too damn inoperable to do this one too), and because she is sooooo incredibly patient with me. That is all, thank you. By the way, the quote down below is an actual quote my Koda used for his English essay. He got an A, needless to say. He was supposed to do an argumentive essay for our group. We were the Anti-Twilights, (whoo!) and me and him had to write 5 page reports explaining why we felt it was inadequate. Godda hand it to the guy, he was made for me...(although his transitioning and train of thought needs to be questioned.)

After the debate, he ripped the paper in shreds and tried to act all cool about what he said, but I managed to get a copy in order to recite the words he used. I thought: Either my readers are gonna laugh, or stop and think about it. Sooo...here's hoping. GOOOO STEELERS! WIN THAT SUPER-BOWL!

* * *

"...Twilight insists that love is instictual, that you love a girl because its in your blood, or whatever the Hell that faggot Edward says. All I know is that it takes half-way into a book with huge-ass font for a guy to find his soulmate. But love isn't anything like that, it isn't fast and hard and it certainly doesn't form within five freaking seconds. Love takes a lot of time, because we all know its just a bigger form of frienship, and trust and all that crap. It's really more like a bridge. The point is, Twilight is a love-story for crack-heads who believe you can fall in love in a short amount of time. Teenagers aren't stupid, and some guys actually want more than a hot babe who'll blow him, sometimes we want a chick who wouldn't have us any other way. Anyone who doesn't bother to build a safe bridge will most likely fall through the moment it starts to rock, metaphorically. For anyone who's ever taken the time to build a good bridge knows the relief when it doesn't break. And then your babe can meet you halfway and hold your hand while you watch those douchebags with sucky bridges fall into the ocean, and you can sit back and drink a beer because you don't have anything to worry about."

-Koda Wilson

"From his: Twilight Sucks and I'll Tell You Why Essay"

* * *

Nathaniel had always hated the sound of bones breaking.

When he was younger, he had broken his arm playing on the monkey bars. And even though his arm had throbbed a little when he lifted it up, there was really no resounding pain that should have resulted in his immediate tears; the pain was not what had caused him to sob so hard his throat seemed to pound.

No, it was the sound when he had fallen, the straining before it completely snapped, that had scared him so bad he had started to cry. And he had lay there on the ground cradling his twisted limb not because his stomach was tight with hurt, no, but because for a second he had truly believed something in him had broken beyond repair. After all, how do you fix something in your body? Something under the skin?

But as his mother had sit him up on the counter, refusing to go the hospital, she had reset the bone while he slept and wrapped it up, telling him when he had awoken that he was going to be fine. He had stared at her, awed, and wondered why she was able to solve _his_ problems but was completely at mercy to her own. Why could she sit there and set his bone back into place, but could not fix her broken heart? The sound of his insides tearing had been something that haunted him for weeks afterward, so that even after the cast was removed he was hesitant to play.

So when he heard the bones crunching against the brick wall before everything collapsed, he withdrew his hand and brought his mind back to the real world. He looked around, seeing his sister and his mother huddled together so close they seemed to be conjoined, his mother's arms barred around Naomi as if she had all the power in the world to protect her.

Protect her from _him. _

He backed away, looking down at his hands which seemed to radiate their own energy. His eyes glanced up, trying to find his mother through the veil of tears that was putting everything out of focus. "Mama," he called out, because in this strange new world he didn't know who he was. Just who had he inhabited? Because there was no way these hands could be his own. "Mama…" he whispered, his fingers clenching in their own ache. "Help me." He tried, but all he heard was Naomi's whimpering.

His whole body was starting to ache.

Nathaniel tried to breathe, but the pain grew, bringing him to his knees as he plugged his fists over his temples. It _hurt_, it hurt so _bad_. His teeth clenched, his knuckles pressing hard into his skin, trying to keep his head from exploding. He threw his arms back, his neck craning, and screamed.

Then there was a relief, the edge the blinding tumor removed. Nathaniel opened his eyes from his place down on the floor, and saw the scary clown man holding one of those beautifully attractive diamonds. His eyes followed the glow emitting from them, and as he crawled closer to it, the dull throbbing in his head began to disappear.

Nathaniel reached out his hand, his arm quivering. "Please," he mouthed though he had no voice. The man took a couple of steps back, and his brain began to split wide open, taking him by such a cruel surprise that all the breath was taken out of him. He held his sides, scared that his body would rip in two.

The man stepped closer and Nathaniel's lungs gratefully filled with air. "You really want this?" he asked, bending down on one knee before him like one of those dumb romantic movies, except this was something entirely different. Nathaniel nodded profusely, worried he might turn away; the thought of the pain coming again making him sick with dread. The man grinned, his teeth brittle and white beneath his curled lips, as Nathaniel reached out again with the most aggressive need.

"_No!"_

Nathaniel turned, his mother's own hand extended to him, the other still holding his sister. "Nathaniel, don't do it!" she cried, but made no move towards him. "Nathaniel, don't take it, please! Please, please…" she seemed incapable of saying anything else, her eyes wide.

Then there was a rumbling sound, and the pile of bricks and stones that had been clustered on the other side of the room began to move. Nathaniel blinked, waiting until he could see a blue hedgehog slipping out from under the debris, his body covered in tiny scrapes. Nathaniel narrowed his eyes, knowing it was the same man who kissed his mother, the one who dared to call himself his 'father'.

The blue hedgehog met his eyes, and then in the most pathetic way Nathaniel had ever seen, the man gave a carefree smile. "Come on Nathan," he urged while the quills on Nathaniel's back stood on end. He looked to his mother who still would not move, then back at the speedster with stubborn distaste. The man smiled again, though it seemed forced. "Don't tell me you're gonna leave _us_ for a couple of dumb rocks…"

"Us?" Nathaniel glared, his words coming before he could even stop them. _"You aren't in my family!"_ he sat up on his knees, the 'diamond' giving him the power to stand up fully. Everyone else seemed so weak, all of a sudden, down on the floor with their mouths wide open.

His mother stared at him, looking like she was going to throw up. "Nathan," she addressed. "He is, I promise you he is. Sonic was your father when no one else would be, he was the one who helped me save you..."

At that, the hedgehog named Sonic sighed. "That was back," he added, between gasps. "When it was just the four of us."

At that, the toddler scoffed. "No." his hands clenched, the angrier he got, the stronger he became. His eyes flashed, and Sonic gave a small strangled sound as he was thrown back, his head smashing against the wall again. So suddenly, without any warning, he had been tossed around like a child's toy.

Sonic coughed, hoping Amy would not come close. Nathaniel growled, yelling at a frightening volume."I don't have a father! It's just my Mama and my sister and me!"

Something struck Sonic with that comment, worse than any blow. He looked down, before he spoke up again, just trying to reach his son. "When you were little," he whispered. "the only way we could get you to sleep, is if we sang you a song. You couldn't stand to take a bath and I was always worried you would squirm so hard you'd drown, you always hated to have your hair washed. You hated the way the shampoo stung your eyes, one time you threw the bottle so hard it hit my head and left a bruise for a couple of days. And you loved Amy more than anything, probably more than your sister, even."

Nathaniel huffed, but the image of bloody hands rang in his mind. His eyes glanced down, taking in the fingers and wondering just why they seemed so familiar. His own hands clenched as if he could fight off this feeling, the throbbing in his head becoming more pronounced with every second. He looked at Amy, wondering just how many other things she had kept from him. "Then why'd he go?"

Amy shivered. "Because I made him."

With the moves of a practiced storyteller, Amy began to sit up fully. She wanted to tell him all the things that mattered, all the things that would make her actions okay, things that he needed to know. Like when he was an infant, she would stare for hours at his small fingers while they grasped at open air. That if it weren't for him, she would have never tried to pick blueberries, she would have never known that just by eating it while there was still sun on it, it tasted better. Or that if she had ever felt even the smallest twinge of regret, all she ever had to do was watch him smile to remind herself just why she had done it.

She wanted to tell him she remembered the first time he said 'I love you'. That she remembered every single detail: his hand on hers, the hot chocolate mug that was the color of a thundercloud, the blue of his lips as he shivered, smiling all the while. She had been holding him, locking them together with the comfort of an old quilt, a normal evening until he suddenly turned to face her and said quite honestly, "I love you Mama." And for once she hadn't been thinking about Sonic, but Nathaniel, and how those words sounded beautiful coming from his mouth.

Nathaniel watched Amy struggle with her words and felt her distress. He had seen that look only once, the moment they went to an oddity museum, and Amy had turned around to see the preserved stomach of a psychotic mother, with the smallest skeleton form of an infant trapped inside. "How could you eat your own child?" she had said in horror, her own hand falling over her belly. Either thinking of the child she never held in her womb, or what it would take for her to eat a baby whole.

Of course, now he realized she might just be thinking about the price people paid to keep someone inside them. Nathaniel stopped for a second, recalling moments when he believed the reason he never had a father was because he just simply didn't need one. Whenever Father's Day always rolled around, he had never been sad for the absence of a second parent, just plain grateful for the one mother he had. Pain flashed through him again, but it was not in his head. His heart? Was it possible to literally have your heart broken in two? Like in those cartoons, would they X-ray his chest to find a valentine symbol riddled with missing pieces?

"Confused, Nathaniel?"

Nathaniel turned around. The man's pudgy face, like a balloon losing air, rearranged itself until the mouth pulled up into a saggy grin. The little boy tried to think of things that made him happy, of grass the color of his eyes, the excitement of a new episode of Spiderman on Saturday mornings, the sweet taste of ice cream on the roof of his mouth.

"Let me tell you a story, Nathaniel," the man said slowly, breaking the boy away from his daydream. "A story from a long time ago, when your mother finally stopped seeing Sonic as the most important person in her life." Nathaniel paused, hearing the words nobody said out loud: _and gave it all up for you. _And though he hated himself more for it, pride swelled in his chest.

Amy flinched. Sonic could do little more then to gasp a weak, "No."

Robotnik smirked at him. Then, with the air of an author about to announce a masterpiece, he began. His voice reminded Amy of all the times Nathaniel had demanded attention. _Take a look Mommy, at my first cartwheel, my first tooth, the toy airplane under the park bench, the first morning snow, the fireworks above, the bat lady with tears in her eyes, the pretty jewel, that sleepy little girl, my sick sister. _How many times had she been asked to look, and turned to him with hope that it would be worth her while? Worth the effort and time it took away from her mourning? If she could go back in time, she would have never denied him in any small request; she would have never given him reason to doubt.

Robotnik kept talking, his smile twisted and sadistic. "Once upon a time, two children were found at the doorstep of a young girl's house. There was no sign of a mother, no sign of a father, or any parent around. And, being the weak, soft-hearted fool she was, she took them in."

'_No… no…' _Amy clenched her head in her hands. Weren't stories that started with "Once upon a time" supposed to have good endings? Weren't little boys supposed to have perfect mothers and fathers? Weren't heroes supposed to make sure nothing like this ever happened? Weren't doomed children not supposed to have a hold of her heart? So many things shouldn't have happened; she thought with exasperation, so many things easily fixed that no one bothered to.

"But these two children were dangerous. In fact, it was said that they would bring an end to the world." Robotnik walked forward towards Nathaniel, despite how hard Sonic tried to ward him off with just his mind. Nathaniel kept staring, wondering how hard his mother must have fought to convince herself this couldn't be true. Had she stared at his face and figured that it didn't matter because she could teach him otherwise?

"Her friends knew, of course, about how dangerous these two children were. And they tried to talk to the girl at first, convince her to leave them, but she refused. She had _fallen in love _with them, as it were." His face screwed into a look of disgust, as if the words left a bad taste in his mouth. "At the same time, another boy – someone that the girl had trailed after like a loyal animal her whole life – had fallen in love with the children too."

Sonic shuddered. The memory was so precious, and it sounded wrong, disgusting even, coming from Robotnik's mouth. Nathaniel caught this action and felt himself grow cold, but allowed himself to see the blue creature as someone in his life. He now tried to see the man beside Amy, holding her hand, and only saw her pulling away. Apparently, she had loved the man more than Nathaniel could imagine, apparently, it had all been a lie.

"The two ran off, leaving all their friends behind. And for years, their friends searched for them, looking for the boy and girl who no longer had eyes for anyone but their own children. Who cares if the world ended? As long as they could save these two children, the rest of the world could die for all they mattered."

Naomi stared, open-mouthed, at both Sonic and Amy. Mostly because this man, with his ugly face and demeaning voice, had given him what his mother could not after years of opportunities: the truth. It was a gift he wished he did not have, but all the more, he needed.

"But one day, they were caught -"

"_Shut up_, Robotnik."

Sonic struggled to his feet. Everything – _everything _hurt. His head, his bones… his heart. He couldn't remember Robotnik making a weapon that had ever hurt him this much. He couldn't remember _hating _Robotnik so much. Nathaniel glared, and Robotnik sensed the change as an advantage.

"Nathaniel, please silence the distraction for us."

"_No! Na-" _Sonic gasped, clutching his throat.

His voice was gone.

He looked wildly, pleadingly, at Amy, but Amy was too enraptured, too terrified by Robotnik's words, to see him.

Robotnik gave a smirk of self-satisfaction, as if he himself had torn away Sonic's voice. "Poor, poor Sonic," he said in mock sympathy. He kneeled down in front of Nathan, gently taking one of his hands and placing it over the Chaos Emerald. "Do you know why Sonic didn't want me to tell you the rest, Nathan?"

Everything quieted. Nathaniel could feel the jewel humming under his fingers, like a bird's rapid heartbeat. He thought of all the times he felt compelled to hold his mother: after a sappy movie that had her crying, when Naomi was sick and Amy was riddled with guilt. But this feeling was ten times more intense, and had him weak with desire.

"He gave you, Naomi, and your mother away."

Nathaniel spun around. Sonic felt his gaze pierce his eyes, and all his words died away quietly in his throat. Though this was not an effect of the 'magic', this was simply the lack of knowing what words could make it okay. What person could possibly understand that at the time, he had closed his eyes and felt something like guidance, that at the time he was under the impression he could still fix what he had broken? That he had really had no choice.

Robotnik leaned forward, whispering, as if they were sharing the most dangerous of secrets. "Your mother saved both you and Naomi. So great was her anger that she killed three people, for the sake of you two."

Amy clamped her hands over her ears, but she could still hear his words…

"First, she killed someone that was considered the most powerful life form in the world. Who knows how she did it? Perhaps her connection with you was already so great that she drew on your power."

_When Shadow died, he had left quietly, without even a scream…_

"Then, she killed Ruby's father."

_Knuckles… what had he been thinking of? Rouge? His daughter?_

"She even killed her best friend."

_Cream… She loved me so much…_

"And then, she almost killed Sonic too."

Robotnik stopped. His eyes raked over the gaze of his audience, reading the way they seemed to be steeped in fear.

"Why… didn't she?"

Robotnik looked down, amused. The boy had whispered those words. Did he really want to know? But that didn't matter. His job right now was to inform this poor, ignorant boy of all the details that his parents had been hiding from him all these years.

"She loved him too much."

Nathaniel's body tightened in shock. He shook his head slowly. "No…"

"She loved him so much that she couldn't even kill the one that had given them away in the first place. She loved him so much that she could kill three of her friends, but not him."

'_No… Mommy loves me…'_

"She loved him so much that she had no room in her heart for her two children."

Nathaniel collapsed onto his knees. Why did everything hurt? Did something inside him rip in two? Bitterness made everything go red around him, shook his perfect world until everything was warped and ugly.

"Let me tell you about the heart, Nathaniel."

Nathan looked up. Everything was blurry. He was crying, and his tears were so cold… The man's demon-like shadow loomed over him.

"The heart is limited, Nathaniel. It only has room for so many."

A light above them popped and went out, but no one seemed to notice.

"Your parents left everything behind because their hearts only had enough room for you and Naomi."

'_Stop crying… Stop crying!'_

"And now your mother… she's leaving _you _behind because she only has enough room in her heart for _him. _For _Sonic. _For someone who dares to call himself your _'father.'"_

'_He's not my father!'_

"Don't you _hate _him?"

'_I _hate _him!' _Everything in him screamed and resounded with those three words. _'I hate him, I hate him!' _

Everything was his fault. His mother's pain, _his _pain.

Why was he _alive? _

"Why don't you help your mother make room in her heart for you?"

Nathaniel let his mind blank, his eyes go cold. He didn't want to _think _anymore. Thinking _hurt. _

He got up onto his feet. The jewel made his tears evaporate into nothingness and gave his body the luxury of feeling nothing.

Simply nothing.

He turned around, facing a wide-eyed Sonic.

He would not let him live. If he killed Sonic, he and Amy and Naomi could go back to the way things were. He raised his open palm. Something black was collecting there, and hate coursed through his body, hot as coals.

Sonic shook his head. _"No," _he mouthed.

Nathaniel fired.

* * *

'_It… hurts…'_

She had always known, of course. That Nathaniel loved their mother more than anything in the whole universe. That this was simply because Nathaniel was like a mirror, he gave back everything that he received. However much he loved someone was the exact reflection of how much that person loved him.

The jealousy – though she tried not to show it – had made her heart feel so tight. She was envious when her mother knew what Nathaniel wanted, even before she did. Sometimes, she wanted her mother to get away from Nathaniel, so that _she _could do all those little things for him – draw pretty pictures, build snowmen, gaze at the stars…

They were twins, after all. Shouldn't _she _hold the most pieces of Nathaniel's heart?

"_What are you doing, Naomi?"_

_Naomi jumped. Nathaniel had appeared out of nowhere._

"_N-nothing." She went red, lowering her arms right away. _

_But Nathaniel had seen. "Are you learning how to punch?" He laughed. "But you're a _girl_."_

"_S-so?" she snapped. What was it with her brother and always telling her that she was a _girl? _She _knew _that! "Watch this!" She threw a clumsy fist into the air and promptly fell over. _

_Nathaniel laughed. "Told you!"_

_Naomi tried to blink the tears out of her eyes. Her stupid brother. He didn't understand _anything, _did he? "S-stop laughing!"_

_But Nathaniel had not stopped. _

_Naomi stomped her foot, and her face puffed out in anger. "At least I'm not a- a-"_

"_A what?" he teased._

"_A… freak with no pupils!"_

_She turned around and ran back towards their house, her brother's silence echoing behind her._

_When Nathaniel had come back, they had not spoken to each other for a week._

_But it wasn't that that worried her. For that entire week, Nathaniel did not go outside once._

"_Nathan?" Amy asked one day, worried. "Is something wrong?"_

"… _No," he'd answered. She and Nathan had made eye contact briefly for a moment, but the two turned away from each other in anger._

_By the end of the week, Naomi could not resist her curiosity any longer. When Amy had her back turned, she plopped down in front of Nathan._

"_What?" he asked, annoyed._

"_You're not going outside," she stated._

"_So what?" _

"_Why?"_

_He made a face. "Why do you care?"_

"_Because I do!"_

_Nathaniel blinked. He opened his mouth for a second, but seemed to change his mind. "You're annoying," he muttered._

"_Tell me!" she demanded._

_Uncharacteristically, Nathaniel turned red. He muttered something unintelligible and looked off to the side._

"_Louder!" commanded Naomi, crossing her arms. _

"_I…" he stammered. "I thought that if… I don't get stronger by going outside… You'd like me more."_

_Naomi stared. "What?"_

"_If I wasn't so strong… Maybe we can play together… more…"_

_Naomi paused for a long moment. Then, she started to giggle._

"_What?" It cost Nathan to confess, and now his sister was laughing at him?_

"_I… I thought," she managed between titters, "That if _I_ got _stronger_, you would play with _me _more…"_

Why was it so unfair? Why did she have to work twice as hard for Nathan's heart? She didn't have Amy's grace or strength. And even though they were twins, she didn't have Nathaniel's powers either.

So what _did _she have?

'_It… hurts…'

* * *

_

"_NAOMI!"_

Naomi coughed. The taste in her mouth was familiar…

She coughed again. Red splattered the front of her dress.

Blood.

She looked up, smiling weakly. Sonic gazed in horror, and somehow, she could remember it. It was one of the many faces that she had loved that had held a precious place in her heart. But this memory hadn't always been there; how was it that you could discover something about yourself that you really knew all along? She smiled wider, but only because this kept her eyes from closing all the way.

"It… doesn't hurt… Daddy…"

She fell forward into Sonic's arms. He caught her with ease, her feather-light body fitting perfectly. She was so small, so perfect and made for him. Oh there was such a thin line between the dead and the living, why had he once thought otherwise? No one was invincible, no one was fully guaranteed anything. Not even little girls with the world in their eyes and the sun in their smile.

"No… Naom… Naomi…" He held onto her fragile body. Tears were starting to well up into his eyes, but he forced them back, snarling. Tears were only for the dead, and Naomi was definitely, positively, _not dead. Where was the justice? The reason? _People didn't die for _nothing_; all deaths had some sort of purpose.

"Wake up! Naomi, you have to wake up!" He was shaking her. He had to stop shaking her, but he couldn't. Her body rattled limply back and forth in his hands. "Why did you do it?" he screamed at her. His words were starting to slur, made slippery by tears. "You didn't have to – You weren't _supposed _to – Why didn't you just let me _die?_" He was holding her so tight that her arms were starting to bruise.

"_Naomi, you're not supposed to die!"_

"_Get away from her!"_

It was like something had knocked into his stomach. Sonic flew back, and his back crunched once again against the wall. Naomi's body was ripped from his hands, and she flew away from him. She landed on the ground, skidding several feet before she came to a stop.

"_Why did you do it?!"_

But it wasn't Sonic asking anymore.

It was Nathaniel.

Nathaniel ran towards his sister. Forget that he was getting further away from the jewels. Forget that his head was starting to be cleaved in two. _'Naomi… Naomi!'_

Whatever his hate had done to stop up all his emotions, whatever the jewels had done to wipe away all his feelings… They were coming back. Coming back so sharply and painfully that he almost fell to his knees in despair.

His blow had knocked Naomi onto her side. Frantically, he turned her over so that she was facing up.

He blanched. There was so much blood. Her stomach, and the side of her head…

"Naomi!" He shook her. "Wake up!" he screamed.

"N… Nathan?"

Her eyes fluttered open, but they only opened halfway. Nathan kneeled down, lifting her head so that she could see him better. "Naomi…" he whimpered.

"He's… wrong…"

Nathaniel felt tears run down his face. Hadn't he run out of them yet? "Don't talk," he told her. That was what they did in movies, wasn't it? And then she would be alive again…

Naomi shook her head. "Nathan… your heart… is big."

"No, stop ta-"

She clamped one hand over his mouth. His eyes widened in surprise at their strength.

Her gaze turned firm, strong. "Your heart doesn't get less room when you love more people, Nathan." She coughed again, but her gaze never left his. "The more people you love… the bigger your heart gets. You never run out of room."

Nathaniel pulled her hand away. "Naomi, what are you talking about?"

Naomi smiled. Tears leaked out of the side of her eyes. They seemed brighter than even the jewels were. "Mommy's heart is big enough for everyone. Daddy's heart is big enough for everyone."

She placed a hand over his chest.

"Even… _your_ heart… is big enough… for everyone…"

Nathaniel sobbed openly. "No, Naomi, don't go!"

He felt Naomi touch his face. He leaned towards her fingertips, closing his eyes. They were usually so cold, but now they were so warm…

"I always thought… that you loved mommy more than you loved me…" Naomi let the tears run over her fingers. "But… you must love me just as much too, if you can cry for me… right?"

Nathaniel opened his eyes. "Of _course_ I love both you and mommy! You… you…" he choked. "You're my sister. My precious sister…"

Naomi laughed. She touched his face lightly once again.

"I… I always…" Naomi's hand fell away. "I always loved your eyes…"

Her own closed.

"Naomi…?" Nathaniel whispered. He shook her, and the silence around him was laughing at him. "Come on… Nao… mi?" Shakily, he brought his hand up, placing it against her heart. His hands flashed once with green light, and he looked to her face eagerly, waiting for her to wake up.

She didn't.

"Naomi?" Flash. "Naomi?" Flash. "Wake up?"

Flash. "I..."

Flash. "Need...."

Flash. "You!"

But Naomi did not move again.

* * *

**A/N: **azngirlchibi here, and yes. Yes, we did just do that. Please don't kill us DX

No, but really, we kind of had this planned for a while... Which makes me sad, because I made her ._. But anyway, this was are first actual kind of "team effort" on an individual chapter. I know, I know, "YOU TAKE YOUR SWEET TIME UPDATING, AND YOU GREET US WITH A CHARACTER DEATH? WTF?!" YOU ENJOYED IT THOUGH, YOU KNOW YOU DID DX

Umm... sorry, it's late at night, and my brain's a little scrambly :P I remember thinking that I had tons to say, but now I'm kind of like... "Ehh... Sleepy..."

THANKS FOR READING!

**Saint of Me: **We don't _really _celebrate Christmas at our house, so I didn't really ask for anything. On the upside, though, my dad randomly decided to get me an iPod Touch. Just... because. I dunno why, I never said that I wanted one. Not that I'm complaining, though XD Err... hope the Twilight quote at the beginning didn't offend you too much. I know a lot of people like the book... we're not condemming you for like it or anything :P Thanks for reading!

**Anonymous Reviewer that has no name. I think I shall name you "Bob" for the sake of calling you something: **Ehh?! Your name didn't show up DX Or maybe you didn't type one... Well, I now dub thee "Bob," at least for the moment :P Apparantly, I know you, but I have no clue who you are... Anyway, Bob, yeah, Nat's a scary kid o.O Like, a little demon running around XD But that's why we all love him! Thanks for reviewing!

**Ytin: **YAY! THANKS A LOT! XD Hope you had a nice... umm... let's just say "Holiday" XD Thanks for reviewing!

Thank you to everyone who has stuck with us through this story. I'll stop estimating how many chapters are left, 'cos I'm always off...

_The Queen of Aces_

_azngirlchibi  
_


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